The
turtles are one of the rare species found in the world. As far as turtles
concerned, they are the top on the endangered list all around the world. There
are all together seven turtle species have listed up to now, such as green
turtle, hawks bill turtle, Oliver twist turtle, leather back turtle, Kemp’s idly,
and flat back. But five of these are presenting in Sri Lanka coastal area.
Now a day’s so many turtle
hatcheries are mushrooming along the southern coastal belt. They are doing a
great favor to increase the capacity of this giants descending from Jurassic
period.
The turtles get together in certain
areas of the ocean annually to mate. After mating the female turtles come to
the sea shore to lay their eggs. They are supposed to lay eggs after they
attain the age of about 30 years. They are said to lay their eggs on the sea
shore at night. It is said that these turtles prefer to lay their eggs on the
same beach they were born. They are supposed to lay about 120 eggs at a time.
Their eggs are white and they are
similar to Ping-Pong balls. The eggs are kept damp by the female turtle by
emitting a juice to cover the eggs. After laying eggs these turtles go back to
the ocean. They keep no connection with the eggs or their new born kids. The
eggs are hatched with the help of the warm sand heated by the rays of the sun.
After a hatching of nearly 60 days
these tiny ones are making their own way right direct to the deep blue sea.
This time they may get the dangerous attractions from birds, crabs and fish.
Few of them will survive for breed their posterity. Humans are the main
threaten for them. To avoid these circumstances social services have started to
protect them in hatcheries.
They buy eggs from villagers and
they spend whole nights when the nesting season starts for turtles on the beach
to find eggs. The baby turtles hatch after 48 days if they can get lots of sun
shine where it is raining take up to 60 days before the turtles emerge from the
eggs. They are then placed in the tanks and for first 3 days remain without
food to cleanse them of material ingested form the eggshell.
Hatchery holders feed them with tiny
fish two times each day. In this time they are learning to dive down into the
tank to take the food. After they can be safely released into the sea where
they can fish for themselves on the coral reefs. Turtles are frequently injured
at sea as many of them get caught in fishing nets. After three months of time
they release them in to the sea.
Peraliya in Telwatta Hikkaduwa and
Kosgoda area is famous for turtle hatcheries. All the five species are
displaying in these places. They may charge a little amount for the
maintenances of the turtles. Well, no need to think twice to look them on your
necked eyes as really as in the deep blue sea.
