Context: Over the past two weeks, numerous dead olive ridley turtles have washed ashore in Tamil Nadu, particularly in Chennai. Experts have estimated that so far, between 300 and 350 turtles have been found dead. Olive ridley turtles arrive near Tamil Nadu coast around September-October to breed. Their nesting season begins in late November and ends in March. Although deaths during nesting season are not unusual, the large number of Turtle carcasses found this early has sparked concern among conservationists and citizens.
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Key points
·Causes of Death: The primary cause of death is bycatch from commercial fishing nets. Turtles often get trapped and drown, as they need to surface for air. Experts suggest the high number of deaths this year may be linked to increased fish availability, attracting more fishing vessels to the area.
·Health Indicators of Carcasses: Post-mortem examinations have revealed health issues in the turtles. Many showed signs of suffocation, including lung lesions, bulging eyes, and swollen necks, indicating drowning. These findings highlight the urgent need for conservation efforts.
·Nesting Season Overview: Olive ridley turtles’ nest from late November to March. Mass nesting occurs primarily in Odisha, with activity in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Female turtles lay 100-110 eggs per nest, covering them with sand to protect against predators.
·Conservation Measures: The Andhra Pradesh government has imposed a month-long fishing ban near Hope Island to protect nesting turtles. Conservationists advocate for stricter enforcement of turtle-excluding devices in fishing nets to reduce bycatch.
Olive Ridley Turtle
·About: These turtles are carnivores and get their name from their olive-coloured carapace. They are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.
·Habitat: They are found in warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. Odisha’s Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is known as the world’s largest rookery (a colony of breeding animals) of sea turtles.
·Protection Status: Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1. IUCN Red List: Vulnerable. CITES: Appendix I.
·Initiatives to Protect Olive Ridley Turtles: Operation Olivia - Every year, the Indian Coast Guard’s “Operation Olivia”, initiated in the early 1980s, helps protect Olive Ridley turtles as they congregate along the Odisha coast for breeding and nesting from November to December.
Tagging - The tagging of the Olive Ridley turtles using non-corrosive metal tags is done to enable scientists to chart their movements and know the areas they visit to protect the species and their habitats.
·Threats Faced: Coastal development projects, such as the construction of seawalls, resorts, and ports, destroy nesting beaches and reduce foraging grounds for olive ridley turtles. They are accidentally caught in fishing gear, such as gillnets, trawls, and longlines. This can injure or kill the turtles. Raccoons, crabs, birds, and foxes can raid olive ridley turtle nests and predate on the eggs affecting their population growth.
