NAGAPATTINAM, May 23 — Some 4,443 endangered Olive Ridley turtles have been released into the sea over the past three months, Press Trust of India (PTI) reports.
The turtles were released from the Wildlife Department’s hatchery at Kodiakarai in the district in southern state of Tamil Nadu.
Forest ranger Gopinathan said the Kodiakarai and Vedaranyam areas attract a large number of Olive Ridley turtles every year during the December-March nesting season.
Female turtles travel towards the coast to lay around 100 eggs and hatching period usually lasts about 60 days.
Gopinathan said the Wildlife Department has set up egg collection centres at six points along the Veadaranyam coast.
A total of 5,098 eggs have been collected by the centres so far.
Olive Ridley turtles have a life span of 60 to 300 years.
–BERNAMA
