The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Olive Ridley nests dot the shores

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Friday, Feb 04, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Olive Ridley nests dot the shores

By Our Staff Reporter

An Olive Ridley.

CHENNAI, FEB. 3. It is celebration time for marine life enthusiasts in the city as there is an increase in the number of nests of Olive Ridley turtles and decrease in their death rate during this season.

Volunteers who go on turtle walk every year between November and March made these observations.

J. Subramanean, a volunteer with the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, who walks along the coastline between Besant Nagar and Neelangarai, said that last year 41 nests were sighted. Normally, the number of nests sighted would increase during the peak season — between January-end and March. This time in the beginning of the peak season itself 17 nests were sighted.

Mr. Subramanean also saw a couple of nesting turtles last week. One was sighted beyond the Ashtalakshmi temple at Besant Nagar and the other near the Tiruvanmiyur fishing kuppam.

Kundhavi Devi, Education Officer, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, said the tsunami did not affect nesting. "In the post-tsunami period, the number of dead turtles reported is less compared to last year," she said.

Every year, female Olive Ridleys migrated from Sri Lanka to Orissa to lay eggs in large numbers (up to a hundred thousand). This was unique to this species, known as `Arribada', meaning arrival in Spanish.

While the enthusiasts are happy about the increase in the number of nests, the turtle eggs are removed by a few people and are sold on the beach. Recently, a woman was seen selling turtle eggs on the Marina.

K.S.S.V.P. Reddy, Wildlife Warden, Chennai, said an exclusive party, headed by a Range Officer, was formed and the party was assigned the work of checking beaches to protect nesting sites and to initiate action against those collecting eggs. Non-governmental agencies wereasked to inform wildlife officials about illegal collection and sale of turtle eggs, Mr. Reddy said.

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