Following the turtle trail in coastal Karnataka
A huge number of dead olive ridley turtles washed up on the Chennai coast recently, prompting environmental activists to warn of a crisis concerning the already endangered sea-dwelling species. The fact that the deaths are occurring during the peak nesting season also raises question about the conservation efforts being made as well as programmes in place to educate the fishermen community regarding the fishing techniques they use.
Cut to the coastal region of Karnataka, the scene is not very inspiring either. The two varieties currently found along the coastal areas of the state are the olive ridley sea turtle and the green turtle, with sightings of the leatherback turtles becoming increasingly rare. Their peak nesting season is said to be between September and February every year. During this period, the turtles migrate to the beaches to build nests and lay their eggs. Patches of the coastline covering Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada are used for marine turtle hatcheries.
Conservation efforts need a boost
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Miscellany
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Photo from Bernard Spragg. NZ.
