Record 1,304 Olive Ridley turtle eggs collected in a single day at Rameswaram

Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi are favourite egg-laying spots for Olive Ridley turtles and in the previous season more than 13,000 turtles eggs were collected. The egg-laying season usually commences in December and ends in April. 

This year, the season commenced on December 17 with the collection of 128 eggs in Dhanushkodi and the first batch of 123 hatchlings were released into sea, on February 9. Recently, the Forest Department collected 668 eggs on a single day in Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi coastal areas and that remained the highest till Saturday. 

However on Sunday, the Forest Department collected 1,304 eggs from 11 hatchings in Arichalmunai, Mukuntharayarchathiram and Tower areas. Out of the 11 hatchings, eight are from Arichalmunai, two from Tower and one is from Mukuntharayarchathiram. 

S Sathish, Mandapam Forest Ranger, said so far 8,969 eggs had been collected in the season from 76 hatchings and this is the first time in Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi that such a huge number of eggs had been collected on a single day. 

The eggs are preserved in hatcheries according to dates collected and after 45 days, the hatchlings are released into the sea. So far, 507 hatchlings were released into the sea by the department, said Sathish.