Protect Olive Ridleys from pollution: Collector

Kakinada: Collector Karthikeya Mishra said that it is the responsibility of every individual to protect the Olive Ridley endangered turtles.  Speaking to media after inspecting the nests of Olive Ridleys at the Gacchakayala Pora beach on Tuesday, the collector said it would be the responsibility of each and every one to protect the ocean life from the pollution. 

District Forest Officer (wild life) Ananth Shankar said the Olive Ridleys were highly endangered species and they were in the IUCN Red List. He said that Olive Ridleys were regularly visiting to Kandikuppa, S Yanam, Hope Island, Gachhakayala Pora, Vasalathippa, Antarvedi and Yellayyapeta for breeding and to nest their eggs. 

The DFO added their department was monitoring Olive Ridley nests right from their arrival and gather eggs to hatch them in the conservation centres under the supervision of forest department. Ananth Shankar also informed that their department released 6.436 lakh hatchlings since 2010 from all these seven nesting centres.

He informed that in 2016-17, they have released 1.76 lakh hatchlings into sea and told a total of 1,319 Olive Ridleys have come to nest their eggs in the district and they have released 1.58 lakh eggs into sea so far in this year.

Earlier, Collector Karthikeya Mishra and DFO Ananth Shankar released the Olive Ridleys hatchlings into sea organised by the forest department at Gacchakayala Pora beach. Rajahmundry municipal commissioner Vijayarama Raju, sub collector Siri Anand, forest range officer B V Durga Prasad (wild life) and MSN School students participated.