Daily News Online
   

Friday, 18 February 2011

Home

 | SHARE MARKET  | EXCHANGE RATE  | TRADING  | OTHER PUBLICATIONS   | ARCHIVES | 

dailynews
 ONLINE


OTHER PUBLICATIONS


OTHER LINKS

Marriage Proposals
Classified
Government Gazette

Hatching in deadly sands


Valid info...

*Five out of the seven sea turtle species come to nest on Sri Lankan beaches.

*These include, the Green turtle, the Olive Ridley Turtle, the Leatherback Turtle, the Hawksbill Turtle and Loggerhead Turtle.

*All Sea turtle species are listed as endangered and threatened.

*Leatherbacks and Hawksbills are considered as critically endangered.

*Out of the lot ‘Olive Ridley’ is the smallest in stature.

*Leatherbacks are the largest of all sea turtle species.


Not knowing the threats that loom within its sands, every year sea turtles swim towards the coastal shores of Sri Lanka to build their hatching nests around its sandy beaches. When the season comes, they stroll towards the island to lay eggs and give birth to their infant toddlers. These archaic species have been coming to the island for over more than million years.

Yet it is questionable as whether they have any sense whatsoever as to dangers that linger within these sandy shores.


Albino turtle


Getting a usual pet from the caretakers

Five out of the seven sea turtle species in the world come to nest on Sri Lankan beaches. Yet, it is a real shame that all five species are endangered and subjected to extinction mainly due to manmade causes. Humans are still listed as their main threat.

Joining in with Zest Kithsiri Kannangara the person in charge of ‘Sea Turtle Preserving Protection Association, Bentota’ said, “No matter how restrictive the laws are, the turtle eggs are still extorted and sold in black-market. Some even kill turtles to export their husks. Through awareness programs we have suppressed the threat to a certain extent. But sadly these things still do happen.”

From the seven turtle species, ‘the Green turtle, the Olive Ridley Turtle, Leatherback Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle and Loggerhead Turtle can be found in Sri Lankan coastal beaches.

The most common out of the lot are Olive Ridley Turtles. They are also the smallest turtle species in the world with an adult turtle averaging around 65 centimeters in length.


Munch munch...

They prefer tropical and warm waters and can be commonly found in Pacific, Indian and Southern Atlantic oceans. They are an omnivorous species and survive on crustacean fish and marine vegetation.

The Green turtles weigh around 230 kilograms and have an average length of one meter. The name was given not because of their skin colour but because of the greenish colour of the turtle’s fat, which is found in a layer between their inner organs and their shell. Young green turtles are mainly carnivorous in nature; the adults however depend on marine vegetation.

Leatherback Turtles are the largest of all sea turtle species. They can grow up to 3 meters in length and usually weigh about 600 kilograms. “We get around two or three Leatherback sea turtles during the nesting seasons…they are rare. Leatherback types survive mainly on jellyfish. Sometimes they mistake polyethylene for jellyfish and consume them. And also chemicals and other harmful material that get mixed up in the water affect their natural habitat,” Kannangara articulated.

The Leatherback Sea Turtles are great travellers. Leatherbacks have even been seen in Arctic Circle, 4,345km away from their tropical nesting beaches. Yet their ability to adapt and regulate their body according to the external temperature provides them with a chance to survive even in extremely hazardous conditions.

Other species that can be found in Sri Lanka are Loggerheads and the Hawksbills. The Loggerheads are very much carnivorous in nature and survive on mollusks, jellyfish and crustaceans.

The term Loggerhead refers to the large head which accommodates their tough muscular jaws. These jaws give them the edge over their prey and help them to crush their prey to pieces.

The Hawksbill Turtles are also a carnivorous species. They too survive on jellyfish and other crustacean types.


Kithsiri Kannangara with two baby turtles

Hawksbills get their English name from the narrow birdlike beak which they use to catch preys that are hiding in small crevices.


Fossilized remains of a turtle

From these five species, the Leatherback and Hawksbill sea turtles are considered as critically endangered, Olive Ridley and Green sea turtles as endangered and the Loggerheads as threatened. Expressing his thoughts on the dilemma, Kannangara stated, “Sometimes turtles nest in densely commercialized beaches. The beaches no longer provide them with the natural atmosphere which is needed to carry out their nesting process.

Instead, Tourist hotels and other industrialized groups are set up alongside the beaches and this affects their natural habitat.”

Natural threats like sea erosion and climate changes also affect their natural habitat.

Sharing his experiences with Zest, Kannangara said, “The effect made by climate change is quite astonishing.

“In recent times, turtles came to nest even in early mornings and evenings mistaking it for the night times. Adding to that - dogs, reptiles and other animal species can threaten their nesting grounds.”


One of turtles who lost its leg


Showing an unhatched egg to foreigners. Pictures by Mahinda Vitanachchi

To aggravate the dilemma, some even use sea turtle preserving centers for commercial purposes. They carry out black market businesses in the disguise of these preserving centers.

Sharing his thoughts on the dilemma Kannangara went on to say, “True, some have even set up preserving centers many kilometers away from the coastal lands.

They use those centers as exhibition centers to earn money. This is a grave dilemma. Sea Turtles should be brought up in close proximity to the coastal beaches. If you bring them up in cement tanks, they become very weak. They won’t survive for long in natural habitat.”

Kannangara also invited both foreign and local volunteers to join hands with to save these endangered species.

EMAIL |   PRINTABLE VIEW | FEEDBACK

Tender for the Capacity Expansion of the GOSS Magnum Press
ANCL TENDER for CTP Machines with Online Processors
Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL)
www.news.lk
www.defence.lk
Donate Now | defence.lk
www.apiwenuwenapi.co.uk
LANKAPUVATH - National News Agency of Sri Lanka
www.army.lk

| News | Editorial | Business | Features | Political | Security | Sport | World | Letters | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House Copyright © 2011 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

Comments and suggestions to : Web Editor