Nellore: Fisherfolk to protect olive ridleys

Nellore: Forest officials have prepared an action plan to protect the endangered species like olive ridley turtles. Special teams have been formed consisting of fishermen to keep a watch on the movement of the turtles at various places in the district. The Forest Department has deployed 30 persons for the protection of turtles at 13 centres. The personnel are paid honorarium.

Normally, the nesting season of turtles starts in January and continues up to May every year. Female turtles enter the mainland for nesting during the season and local stray dogs and snakes are the main foes to them.

Fishermen, who live near the sea, sometimes endanger the species as the turtles get snared into nets. Mechanised boats too cause harm them.

The Forest Department has identified 13 important breeding places in the district. They are Kothasatram, Otturu, Lakshmipuram, Pathapalem, Kothuru, Ramachandrapuram, Utukuru, Errannadibba, Venkannapalem, Gummalladibba, Srinivasa Satram, Pamanjipalem and Tupilipalem in Kavali, Bogole, Vidavaluru, Indukurupet, TP Guduru, Muthkuru, and Chillakuru Mandals. Hatcheries have been set up at these places.

These hatcheries are built with bamboo or other locally available wood for the protection of eggs the turtles conceal in the sand close to the sea for nesting. The persons deployed by the officials are entrusted with the responsibility of protecting the eggs for five months and releasing the baby turtles into the sea. They are paid at Rs 8,000 per person for taking up the activity for five months.

"Each turtle lays between 50 and150 eggs on an average that visits the mainland as part of mass nesting and the eggs lay within 45-60 days but may nest up to three times a year. The nesting season is from June to December. The female turtle digs a hole in the sand and protects eggs there covering the sand. It visits sometimes and goes backs to the sea. These turtles are being chased by dogs and other animals and the babies too face grave threat from predators," said Pamanji Ramaniah from Venkannapalem.