Sea turtles have started arriving on the shores of Cox’s Bazar for the ongoing breeding season. Environmental officials have reported Olive Ridley turtles laying eggs on the beaches of St. Martin’s and Shah Porir Island nearly six weeks into the season. Environmental officials recorded the first Olive Ridley nesting last year on November 10 in the Shilbunia area of St. Martin’s Island.
The Department of Environment and Nature Conservation Management (NECOM) reported that a female turtle laid 120 eggs on Shah Porir Island’s beach on Friday night. The following day, another female laid 105 eggs in Shilbunia, St. Martin’s Island. On early Sunday morning, another turtle returned to the same beach and laid 144 eggs before retreating to the sea.
Awasaful Islam, an inspector at the Department of Environment in Cox’s Bazar, states that St. Martin’s Island remains a preferred nesting site for these turtles.
However, he noted a decline in turtle visits due to unfavorable conditions, including numerous stray dogs, disruptive resort lighting, and noisy tourist activities that hindered the turtles’ access to the beaches.
Abdul Kaiyum, the Cox’s Bazar manager of NECOM, highlighted the challenges faced by the turtles, including high mortality rates during the last breeding season. Despite these challenges, natural hatcheries successfully hatched approximately 30,000 eggs, and the previous year released the hatchlings into the sea.
By Abdur Rashid Manik
Photo: Courtesy
