Turtles refuse to lay eggs due to Agni-I test firing
Worried over delay in annual mass nesting of olive ridley sea turtles at Gahirmath beach, the Orissa government has requested the DRDO to put off the next test firing of Agni-I slated for last week of April.
By PTI |
BHUBANESWAR: Worried over delay in annual mass nesting at Gahirmath beach in Orissa's Kendrapara district, the largest rookery of olive ridley sea turtles, the Orissa government has requested the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to put off the next test- firing of Agni-I slated for last week of April.
Wildlife experts and researchers on olive ridley turtles apprehend that test firing of Agni-I on March 23 could have been a major reason behind delay in beginning of mass nesting of turtles, Chief Wildlife Warden B K Patnaik said.
However, they were not absolutely sure about this, Patnaik added.
���We have already written a letter to the DRDO urging it to postpone its proposed test-firing of missiles during the crucial period of mass nesting of olive ridley turtles in Orissa coast,��� Patnaik said.
According to an understanding between the Orissa government and the DRDO, the latter had committed not to undertake any step which would affect mass nesting of the rare turtles who come from far flung areas to lay eggs on Orissa coast, Patnaik said.
Though a large number of turtles had congregated at Gahirmatha beach, they refrained from mass nesting. "Turtles hesitant to lay eggs could be due to luminous lighting at Wheeler Island in the sea which was barely 12 km from the eco-sensitive beach,��� said one of the turtle researchers in the wildlife wing.
Last year, though there was a small congregation of turtles at Gahirmatha beach, which is part of Bhitarkanika National Park, the nesting took place at appropriate time in the month of March, the researcher pointed out.
The turtle protection groups, however, do not totally agree with the government's wildlife wing.
"I do not totally agree to the government's claim that test firing of missiles delayed mass nesting of turtles", said Operation Kachhap secreatry Biswajit Mohanty adding that the government was avoiding the actual reason.
Mohanty claimed that dredging of sea for construction of a port at Dhamara in Bhadrak district could be the prime reason behind delay in mass nesting of turtles at Gahirmatha beach. "Instead of asking the DRDO to stop test firing of missiles, the government should immediately stop dredging inside the sea," he said.
Denying allegations made by the turtle protection group, the chief of the Dhamara Port Company Limited, Santosh Mohapatra said that the company was undertaking dredging at a place which was nearly 25 km from Gahirmatha beach.
He said the port authorities were concerned about protection of turtles and therefore used scientific methods while undertaking dredging inside the sea.
"We are consulting eminent marine scientists before undertaking dredging activities," Mohapatra said.
When contacted, the chief wildlife warden said that he would ask scientists to study whether the dredging at Dhamara was affecting mass nesting of turtles.
Wildlife experts and researchers on olive ridley turtles apprehend that test firing of Agni-I on March 23 could have been a major reason behind delay in beginning of mass nesting of turtles, Chief Wildlife Warden B K Patnaik said.
However, they were not absolutely sure about this, Patnaik added.
���We have already written a letter to the DRDO urging it to postpone its proposed test-firing of missiles during the crucial period of mass nesting of olive ridley turtles in Orissa coast,��� Patnaik said.
According to an understanding between the Orissa government and the DRDO, the latter had committed not to undertake any step which would affect mass nesting of the rare turtles who come from far flung areas to lay eggs on Orissa coast, Patnaik said.
Though a large number of turtles had congregated at Gahirmatha beach, they refrained from mass nesting. "Turtles hesitant to lay eggs could be due to luminous lighting at Wheeler Island in the sea which was barely 12 km from the eco-sensitive beach,��� said one of the turtle researchers in the wildlife wing.
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Last year, though there was a small congregation of turtles at Gahirmatha beach, which is part of Bhitarkanika National Park, the nesting took place at appropriate time in the month of March, the researcher pointed out.
The turtle protection groups, however, do not totally agree with the government's wildlife wing.
"I do not totally agree to the government's claim that test firing of missiles delayed mass nesting of turtles", said Operation Kachhap secreatry Biswajit Mohanty adding that the government was avoiding the actual reason.
Mohanty claimed that dredging of sea for construction of a port at Dhamara in Bhadrak district could be the prime reason behind delay in mass nesting of turtles at Gahirmatha beach. "Instead of asking the DRDO to stop test firing of missiles, the government should immediately stop dredging inside the sea," he said.
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Denying allegations made by the turtle protection group, the chief of the Dhamara Port Company Limited, Santosh Mohapatra said that the company was undertaking dredging at a place which was nearly 25 km from Gahirmatha beach.
He said the port authorities were concerned about protection of turtles and therefore used scientific methods while undertaking dredging inside the sea.
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"We are consulting eminent marine scientists before undertaking dredging activities," Mohapatra said.
When contacted, the chief wildlife warden said that he would ask scientists to study whether the dredging at Dhamara was affecting mass nesting of turtles.
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