Next turtle watch dates please

harita


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 1343

Message Posted:
16/08/2010 11:48

Anyone know the dates of the next turtle watch at Aligadi ..

ianwfs


Joined: 08/01/2008
Posts: 563

Message Posted:
16/08/2010 12:21

There's been no announcement so far today, which generally means there will be no excavation. However, today there is an excavation, but they haven't been able to tell anybody because of an electricity outage!

Remember, this year the system has changed slightly. While the excavations are normally early evening, and open to the general public, releases are after the beach closes and you have to book, with numbers limited to 30. As they don't know till the actual day if there will be a release, they don't do advanced booking, and you're asked to phone them on 0533 879 8533 after 10am to book.



As of 5 minutes ago, there were still a few slots.

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
16/08/2010 12:56

Fully booked for tonight

dougskud



Joined: 04/04/2008
Posts: 356

Message Posted:
16/08/2010 16:00

Hi Everyone good afternoon



I was interested to read message 2 and found the information puzzling



Would anyone officially involved with the Turtle conservation project like to comment on the following points.



1. Why was any change to the established format for the evening necessary?



2. I thought Alagadi was a public beach so cannot understand the comment about "when the beach closes"



3. In previous years the collection was taken at the waters edge with the babies finding their way out to sea, logically if numbers are capped donations by definition will not be maximised.



regards

Doug

ianwfs


Joined: 08/01/2008
Posts: 563

Message Posted:
16/08/2010 19:06

Hi. I wasn't party to the decision-making process, but I have some thoughts on the matter.



1. The excavations always create a large crowd. The people obviously followed the volunteers to the waters edge to see the release. Although the area where the hatchlings were released was fenced off, the volunteers had a problem with people in the water not keeping well enough away. By releasing at 9pm, the only people on the beach will be the volunteers or those invited by the volunteers.



2. Alagadi is indeed a public beach, but during the breeding season, the public are not allowed on it from 8pm till (I think) 8am.



3. I'm in the UK at the moment, so don't know about collecting money, but I'd hazard a guess that the hat will be passed round at the excavation and again at the release. Although there is no release at the time of the excavation, the spectators still have a chance to look at (but not touch) the newly excavated hatchlings.