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THE STATESMAN (Kolkata, India) 04 March 06 Dogs attack nesting Olive Ridleys
Kendrapara: Canines have been feasting on Olive Ridley turtles engaged in annual nesting along Nasi-2 beach of Gahirmatha coast.
The nesting ground is close to a DRDO defence installation on Wheeler’s Island and unmanned areas under the defence project have become home to stray dogs.
As the turtles emerge from the sea to lay eggs, canine intruders make their way to the nesting ground in groups to pounce on the giant marine species.
Divisional forest officer, Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) forest division officials said the department is worried over the rapid population growth of dogs on Wheelers’ Island as reports from turtle protection camps indicate there are instances of killer dogs attacking the turtles.
The forest department had earlier requested the DRDO to launch measures so that dogs could be stopped from entering nesting ground. Once they step on the beach, there is a possibility of their attacking the turtles. While skeletal forest staff deployed there succeeded in driving away the rampaging dogs, they also failed to protect some turtles being devoured by the canines.
An official said the dogs were on prohibited defence territory. Unless defence personnel drove these unwanted guests away, once the eggs hatched in two months’ time, the baby turtles would be in great peril, he said.“Dogs simply invaded the Nasi nesting ground as soon as the nesting of the turtles began. They would roam in groups and feast on freshly laid eggs, as we watched helplessly. They were not scared of lathi-wielding forest guards,” a forest personnel engaged in keeping vigil on the unmanned Island said.
Officials said a protective fencing of fishing nets had been erected to prevent the dogs from entering the nesting ground. But this too failed to stop the dogs.
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=9&theme=&usrsess=1&id=108597