Olive Ridley Turtle Hatchlings Released to Sea

Seven species of turtles are found in the warm waters of seas in the temperate-tropical zone. Of these five species make a visit to the Indian coast annually for laying of eggs and rearing. They nest all along the Indian coastline of Bay of Bengal in the east and Arabian sea in the west. Of these Olive Ridley Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) outnumber all others in numbers in visiting the Indian shore. Eastern coast is having larger nesting areas. Gahirmatha and Rishikulya in Odisha are globally recognized massive nesting sites.   

When it comes to the western coast of India, massive nesting sites are not reported. Only few sites are known where egg laying is very sporadic and moderate. In Kerala,  only very few  turtles are making the annual trip for laying of eggs. Neeleswaram beach in Kasaragod, Kozhavippalam in Kozhikkode, Chavakkad beach in Guruvayur in Thrissur, Kuzhippilli and Cherai beaches in Ernakulam, Thottappali beach in Alappuzha, Chiillikkal, Pozhikkara and Mukkam beaches in Kollam and Vizhinjam beach in Thiruvananthapuram are the major landing sites for these turtles in Kerala. As per an established pattern, northern Kerala shores receive the highest number of turtles, while their number decreases as one travels to the south.

‘Punarjani’, conservation project for Olive Ridley Turtles making great strides.

Shri K.B.Sanjayan, Co-ordinator of T.N.H.S
highlighting the importance of protecting turtles

         ‘Punarjani’, a novel project conceived by the Social Forestry wing of the Department of Forests and Wildlife, Kollam, in association with Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS), a Trivandrum-based N.G.O working in the field of nature conservation, was originally launched on January 23, 2020, at Chillakkal beach, Paravur near Kollam. The project envisages protecting Olive Ridley turtles, a reptile that has been placed in the Red Data Book of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Olive Ridley turtles have been laying eggs on the shores of Chillakkal and Pozhikkara beaches on the Kollam coast, notably because these are the only two gaps without a seawall erected as a measure against sea erosion. These turtles freely crawl to the shore in the safety of the nightfall in these places, dig pits in the sand some of which as large as to hold up to 100 of its eggs. In course of three weeks when the eggs hatch, hatchlings are led back to the sea by themselves as if by a rare force of intuition. Parental care is sparsely observed in these varieties of turtles.

‘Punarjani’, conservation project for Olive Ridley Turtles launched

     ‘Punarjani’,  a novel project conceived by the Social Forestry wing of the Department of Forests and Wildlife, Kollam, in association with Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS), a Trivandrum-based N.G.O working in the field of nature conservation, was launched on January 23 at Chillakkal beach, Paravur near Kollam. The project envisages to protect Olive Ridley turtles, a reptile that has been placed in the Red Data Book of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Olive Ridley turtles have been laying eggs on the shores of Chillakkal and Pozhikkara beaches in Kollam coast, notably because these are the only two gaps without a seawall erected as a measure against sea erosion. These turtles freely crawl to the shore in the safety of the nightfall in these places, dig pits in the sand some of which as large as to hold up to 100 of its eggs. In course of three weeks when the eggs hatch, hatchlings are led back to the sea by themselves as if by a rare force of intuition. Parental care is sparsely observed in these variety of turtles.