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Endangered ‘green turtle’ rescued

Forest officials showing the rescued turtle.

BERHAMPUR: An endangered baby ‘green turtle’ was rescued by traditional marine fishermen from their fishing net near Rushikulya rookery coast in Ganjam district of Orissa on Tuesday.

A fisherman of Gokharkuda village Someya Rao found this rare turtle entangled in his net while fishing. Like most other fishermen of the area he was also aware of protection of marine turtles as this coast is a major nesting site for Olive Ridleys in the world. But the turtle rescued by his did not look like an Olive Ridley so he preferred to bring it back to coast with him.

He reported this rescue to the activists of the Rushikulya Sea Turtle Protection Committee who immediately passed on the information to the forest department. A team led by the Berhampur DFO, A.K.Jena reached the spot to take note of the rescued marine turtle. Mr Jena confirmed that it was a ‘green turtle’ or ’Chelonia midas’, which is rarely seen on this coast. Green turtles are the fastest swimming marine turtles and it is suspected that the rescued baby turtle may have fallen apart from its group. The rescued green turtle was around 20 inches in length and weighed around 10 kg.

After necessary record of vital data the forest officials released the rescued turtle into sea on Tuesday evening. Adult green turtles reach a shell length of more than one meter and a body weight of more than 180 kg. Quite contrary to its name it is brownish in colour. Its name is derived from the colour of its body fat which is green in colour. As per local fishermen sighting of four green turtles has occurred near this coast during this year.

Mr Jena said these turtles are usually not sighted on the eastern coast. Green turtles usually nest and move around Gujarat coast, Andamans, Lakshadweep and the Gulf of Mannar near India.

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