Forest officials stumble on clutch of sea turtle eggs

In an unseasonal occurrence, a sea turtle has laid a clutch of 72 eggs in the coast here, forest officials said today.
The eggs were not properly buried and officials of Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, who found them during a routine patrol, later arranged to bury them in the sand for nesting.
Forest Ranger Satheesh said this was not the season for breeding. Normally turtles come to the Rameswaram coast between December and March for nesting.
He also said it was unusual for turtles to lay the eggs and leave them without burying them properly. It was possible that the nest had been unearthed by some miscreants and they could have fled seeing the patrol team.

The official said during the nesting season this year from January they had let into the sea 12,799 hatchlings.