In a heart-wrenching discovery, the shores of Pattinacherry in TR Pattinam, Karaikal, have witnessed the lifeless bodies of more than 50 Olive Ridley turtles over the past three days. The turtles, suspected victims of unsustainable fishing practices, were on their way to the shore for nesting when they met a tragic end.
Karaikal Deputy Conservator of Forests, N Viji, conducted an inspection on Monday, revealing that each turtle carcass weighed approximately 40kg and measured around 75cm. The gruesome injuries observed on the turtles point to potential collisions with mechanized boat propellers, entanglement in trawl nets, and the menace of abandoned ghost nets. However, the exact causes will be confirmed only after postmortem examinations and laboratory analyses.
P Arulrajan, Conservator of Forests in Puducherry, stated, “We conducted autopsies on the carcasses with the aid of veterinarians and collected samples for lab analysis. We are following standard operating procedures in disposing of the carcasses.”
Olive Ridley turtles are classified as ‘vulnerable species’ under the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). During the period from December to May, these turtles migrate to the south Indian coastline for nesting, making them susceptible to various threats.
Dr. Supraja Dharini, Chairperson of Tree Foundation, an NGO, expressed her concern, stating, “The turtle casualties in Karaikal are clearly due to asphyxiation and injuries caused by illegal nets such as squid and ray nets. Some of them may have died due to illegal practices like fishing activity close to the shore.”
Neenu Purushothaman, Project Manager of the Karaikal-based Nature Environment and Wildlife Society (NE&WS), highlighted ongoing efforts to raise awareness among local fisherfolk about the importance of Olive Ridley turtle conservation. She mentioned plans to intensify outreach programs in the coming year to prevent such tragic incidents from recurring. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for sustainable fishing practices and increased conservation efforts to protect vulnerable marine species.
