The Nature Interpretation Centre at Agonda, an Olive Ridley turtle nesting ground developed and protected by the state forest department has so far protected eight Olive Ridley turtle pits this season. In recent years, Galgibaga beach has also come forward as a minor nesting site for Olive Ridley turtles. This season, Galgibaga beach has seen a total of two pits, taking the total number of turtle nests to 10 and eggs to 898.

Conserving the endangered Olive Ridley turtles

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Fassets%2Fsite1%2Ftheme3%2Fimages%2Fturtles-nesting-visit-adventure-activity%2F7.jpg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.andamanisland.in&s=343&h=328d2834c389261f8f34051df46ffc2915145e532051f6f9ab9a8fbbb483ac31&size=980x&c=4197274149 photo_credit="" pin_description="" dam="0" site_id=20074994 caption="Olive Ridley hatching in Andaman Islands" photo_credit_src="https://www.andamanisland.in/assets/site1/theme3/images/turtles-nesting-visit-adventure-activity/7.jpg" crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Fassets%252Fsite1%252Ftheme3%252Fimages%252Fturtles-nesting-visit-adventure-activity%252F7.jpg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.andamanisland.in%26s%3D343%26h%3D328d2834c389261f8f34051df46ffc2915145e532051f6f9ab9a8fbbb483ac31%26size%3D980x%26c%3D4197274149%22%7D" expand=1] Olive Ridley hatching in Andaman Islands

Even after several man-made disturbances, the crawling creatures have shown interest in laying eggs on Agonda beach. And with the hatching period of 50-55 days, forest officials and the worker expect more visits by Olive Ridley turtles to lay eggs at the turtle nesting sites at Agonda and Galgibaga in Canacona.

Considering the need to protect the endangered Olive Ridley turtles, the government and private NGOs have taken up a conservation programme and the forest department has fenced the coastal area at Galgibaga and Agonda beach to ensure proper protection of turtle nests. The move has restricted tourism activities in the area, however, the officials insist that the protection measures are needed as tourism activities would lead to the destruction of the nesting pits.

The first Olive Ridley turtle arrived at Agonda beach on December 31, 2021, and laid 118 eggs, since then, periodically turtles have been visiting the beach, with the last turtle arriving on Wednesday who went back into the sea after laying 85 eggs. However, one pit at Agonda has not opened yet.

While at Galgibaga, the first Olive Ridley turtle surfaced on the beach on January 3 and left the beach after laying 117 eggs and the second turtle nest was protected on January 24, which laid 55 eggs, taking the total number of protected eggs at Galgibaga beach to 172 eggs.