Puri: The Forest Department on Monday released 542 Olive Ridley turtle hatchlings in the sea from the special hatcheries after one-and-half month.
Sources said the Forest Department had located 650 nesting sites along Devi river bank in Astarang area and 530 nesting sites along the Konark coast in Puri district in March this year. From these two nesting sites, they had found 62,978 eggs of which they collected 19,687 eggs and kept them in five special temporary hatcheries set up at Astarang and Konark.
The eggs were kept under regulated temperature covered with sand at a depth of 1-1.5 feet. It took nearly 40 to 45 days for the eggs to hatch at these centres.
Out of the total collected eggs, 542 Ridley turtles were hatched in the first phase. After keeping them inside the hatchery for one and half month, they were released in the sea on Monday.
The remaining turtle hatchlings will be released in the sea in batches a month after their hatching.
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