Why dead olive ridley turtles are washing up on Tamil Nadu beaches

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.

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.