Trouble in turtle paradise
6 May 2009, 0552 hrs IST, Paul Fernandes, TNN


PANAJI: Alteration to the
beach due to massive erosion seems to have affected turtles, as the
sensitive flippered visitors preferred the noisy environment of Agonda beach to the safe havens of Galgibaga in another season marked by poor arrivals. Galgibaga, which had turned into a turtle paradise, thanks to the efforts of the local parish priest and some activists supported by the forest department had seen 2,567 hatchlings from 33 nestings in 2000-01, but in the last two years, tidal fury during the monsoon gave the beach a steep gradient, making it difficult for the nocturnal visitors to clamber up. “The gradient should be gradual as it is easier for turtles to crawl on shore and lay eggs,” Devendra Dalai, deputy conservator of forest, wildlife and eco tourism said. He conceded that heavy erosion of the beach could be a factor that sent turtles to Agonda, a beach dotted with shacks. Dalai said that the turbulent waves lash even the newly planted casuarina trees on higher ground at Galgibaga. Agreeing that the beach has developed a steep slope, another forest official said that its southern part is not conducive for nesting as its width has been reduced. “At low tide, the almost vertically cut shoreline is exposed. As for the rest of the beach, turtles prefer to lay their eggs in stretches above the high tide line as fungus caused by sea water in lower stretches can cause the eggs to rot during incubation,” the sources said. In a continuing trend, five nestings were reported at Galgibaga this season and 329 hatchlings crawled back to sea as compared to four nestings and 101 hatchlings during 2007-2008. In comparison, ten nestings were recorded in Agonda and 795 hatchlings made their way to the sea last season, as against six nestings and 523 hatchlings this season.