Tamil Nadu: Forest Secretary Supriya Sahu has stated that the satellite tracking project aims to ensure the protection of Olive Ridley sea turtles.
Every year from December to April, Olive Ridley sea turtles typically lay their eggs along the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, stretching from Chennai to Kanyakumari. The Tamil Nadu government, in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India, is implementing a project to attach satellite trackers to these sea turtles to study their marine journeys and migration patterns. A sum of ₹84 crore has been allocated for this project.
Currently, trackers have been fitted on eight sea turtles, and their movements are being monitored.
Tamil Nadu Forest Secretary Supriya Sahu posted on the social media platform ‘X’: “Of the eight turtles fitted with satellite trackers so far, data on the behavior of five Olive Ridley turtles named Arasi, Kayal, Iniya, Malar, and Adhirai has started coming in. Based on the initial monitoring data, it has been observed that the turtles spend more time near the coast and repeatedly return to the same beaches for nesting.”
This project is helping to protect the turtles and their nesting areas without any disruption. Supriya Sahu added that this study is proving very helpful in identifying areas where the turtles congregate and in strengthening collaborative conservation measures based on scientific evidence.
