Officials of Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park began collection of Olive Ridley eggs on Thursday and have collected up to 224 eggs till Friday.
The collection of eggs from the nests on the shores of Dhanuskodi usually begins in January and goes on till May on a 20-km stretch between Pudhu Road and Arichalmunai.
Mandapam Forest Range Officer G. Venkatesh said that the eggs were taken to the hatchery at M. R. Chathiram.
“Hatching would take 48 days to 55 days,” he said.The two hatcheries are protected by forest protection and anti-poaching watchers round-the-clock.
Last year, the officials were able to collect a record 21,500 eggs.“It was because of absence of human disturbances owing to COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns that large number of turtles came to the sea shore,” he said.
A high rate of 98 per cent hatching was reported and the hatchlings were released into the sea.The sighting of Olive Ridley turtles in the sea has only proved that its population has been increasing in the last few years, he added.
Cyclones, strong water currents and high tides disturb the Olive Ridley from reaching the shore, he added.