Supriya Sahu IAS
@supriyasahuias • 282,259 subscribers
UNEP Champion of the Earth 2025 I Additional Chief Secretary Environment Climate Change & Forests | Govt of TN | People, Nature & Conservation I Tweets personal
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Even in a bustling metropolis like Chennai, we see a beautiful miracle unfolding every year. Olive Ridley turtles come to Chennai beaches to nest every single year. This season, Chennai became Tamil Nadu’s largest nesting hub, protecting 74,143 eggs. What does it tell us ! The message is clear, wildlife can thrive in cities too, provided conservation is prioritised. This year across Tamil Nadu, 1,986 nests were protected, 2,29,668 eggs were conserved and 1,91,615 hatchlings were released into the sea through 52 hatcheries along the coast. Cuddalore protected 55,348 eggs and Nagapattinam 30,499, making this one of the strongest Olive Ridley conservation seasons in recent years. Most encouragingly, turtle mortality declined sharply from 1,575 last year to 786 this year a reduction of nearly 50 percent. Behind these numbers lies an extraordinary partnership. Forest frontline staff, the Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network, Wildlife Institute of India, researchers, volunteers, NGOs, the Fisheries Department, Indian Coast Guard, Marine Police and, most importantly, fishing communities worked together to protect these marine visitors. Conservation efforts included the distribution of 2,663 Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs), 172 joint sea patrols, beach monitoring through the Turtle Guardian App, nest protection, clean-up drives and awareness programmes that reached over 23,000 fishermen. Satellite tagging of turtles has also helped us better understand their remarkable journeys. As this nesting season comes to a close, we bid farewell to these ancient travellers. The hatchlings released from our shores will now travel across vast oceans, only to return years later to the very same beaches where they were born. #WorldEnvironmentDay #Turtles #TNForest
Supriya Sahu IAS25,597 Aufrufe • vor 1 Tag
Hello Chennai here comes your third Mangrove Magic ! Along the Buckingham Canal, the Chennai Forest Division has planted 20,000 mangrove seedlings across 20 hectares during 2025–26. What you see here is the fishbone structure to support healthy tidal flow. 8 main fishbone canals have been created with 8 feeder canals and 186 distribution channels. This is supported by Team ICICI Bank under their CSR initiative This effort builds on the earlier phases wherein 12,500 mangrove seedlings were planted near Kazhipattur along the Buckingham Canal in 2024–25, with 2,500 associate coastal species, followed by 5,000 mangroves planted at the Battle of Adyar Island estuary. Step by step, TN Forest Department is building Chennai's living coastal bioshield restoring mangroves that protect the city, nurture biodiversity and strengthen climate resilience. Kudos to Chennai DFO Thiru Saravanan and his entire team 💪🙌 #Mangroves #Chennai #Climateaction #ClimateAction
Supriya Sahu IAS372,279 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten
Show this to your children. They deserve to know that there once existed magical forests lit by fireflies, purple frogs that emerged with the rains, slender lorises watching silently from the night canopy, vultures circling wild skies, dugongs grazing seagrass meadows, striped hyenas walking forgotten scrublands, turtles blessing our shores, Raptors soaring high, Amur Falcons crossing oceans without rest for days, and Nilgiri Tahrs ruling mountain escarpments like a kingdom above the clouds. Perhaps we are the last generation to witness many of these wonders in the wild. The Earth is losing biodiversity at a pace never seen before and with every disappearance, something ancient, irreplaceable and deeply alive fades away forever. Biodiversity is Earth’s heartbeat. The moment it begins to fade, the planet will slowly forget how to breathe. If we want a future, we must help the Earth breathe again. We already know what to do. Let’s do it. Protect. Conserve. Cherish. Happy #BiodiversityDay UN Biodiversity #LocalAction #KMGBF #IDB2026 #ForNature
Supriya Sahu IAS63,615 Aufrufe • vor 14 Tagen
Summer is a challenging season for wildlife, and the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has undertaken extensive measures to ensure that animals have access to water across forest habitats. The Department maintains one of the country’s largest water networks for wildlife which includes 373 borewells, 8,421 check dams, 2,734 percolation ponds, 541 water troughs, 270 waterholes, 115 open wells, 164 abd overhead tanks supplemented by natural water sources within forest landscapes. To further augment water availability this year, the Department has created additional water conservation structures, including 15 new check dams and 21 water troughs. Forest divisions have been proactively replenishing water bodies, pre-filling vulnerable water sources and supplying water through tankers wherever required to ensure uninterrupted availability during the dry months. Monitoring is being carried out through MSTrIPES, geo-tagged photographs, camera traps and real-time digital reporting systems #TNForest
Supriya Sahu IAS17,002 Aufrufe • vor 3 Tagen
Ever wondered how streams continue to flow, rivers keep receiving water, and wildlife survives even through the harshest summer months in landscapes where forests and wild animals depend on a steady supply of water ! The answer often lies in "Nature’s Sponge' the montane grasslands. Most people judge a landscape by the number of trees it has. But nature does not work that way. A forest is not healthier than a grassland simply because it has more trees. Every ecosystem has its own unique role. The montane grasslands of the Western Ghats are among nature’s greatest water engineers. Often called the 'Water Towers' of the landscape, these ancient grasslands capture mist, absorb rainfall like a sponge, and store vast quantities of water beneath the ground. They then release it slowly through the year, feeding streams, rivers and springs long after the monsoon has passed. This hidden natural reservoir sustains forests, supports unique wildlife like Nilgiri Tahr, replenishes groundwater and becomes a lifeline for people, agriculture and entire ecosystems during the dry season. The lesson is therefore simple, it is not about planting trees everywhere. It is about protecting every unique ecosystem #WorldEnvironmentDay 5th June 2025 #grasslands #climateaction #NowForClimate video Supriya Sahu IAS
Supriya Sahu IAS26,880 Aufrufe • vor 6 Tagen
As a beautiful family of elephants crosses the railway track at Madukkarai in Coimbatore, an AI-powered early warning system by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department ensures their safe passage, a sight that fills the heart with warmth. What better tribute to elephants on the #WorldElephantDay than guaranteeing their right to a safe life. Since November 2023, this system has ensured zero elephant deaths on the tracks. We have installed 12 towers and 24 thermal cameras on constant watch, 6,592 elephants have crossed safely. Saluting forest rangers, track watchers, guards, loco pilots and officers who are making this possible. Lets do more of these interventions to ensure long term survival of these beautiful elephant families. Video rights - Tamil Nadu Forest Department #ElephantDay #elephants #worldelephantday2025 #wildlifeconservation WWF-India IUCN Wildlife Institute of India
Supriya Sahu IAS1,018,087 Aufrufe • vor 9 Monaten
At Pulicat Lake in Thiruvallur district near Chennai, flamingos create a magical spectacle, their pink hues shimmering across the waters and transforming the landscape into a living canvas. Pulicat is India’s second-largest brackish water lagoon, after Chilika Lake & shares its borders with Tamil Nadu & Andhra Pradesh. Lying along the Central Asian Flyway, its nutrient-rich mudflats serve as vital feeding grounds, drawing thousands of flamingos each season from distant regions #Pulicatlake #flamingoes video Tamil Nadu Forest Department
Supriya Sahu IAS126,150 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
The recent AI Impact Summit hosted by India recently brings focus on practical applications of AI. At Madukkarai in Tamil Nadu, a simple AI-based Elephant Detection System has enabled 8,679 safe elephant crossings in a little more than 2 years. Incidently it has also recorded 100 leopard alerts, 560 wild gaur alerts, and captured 14,888 deer alerts across two vulnerable railway stretches, protecting precious wildlife. In Gudalur in the Nilgiris, another AI system is working at the landscape level to generate real-time alerts for the local community, and in Hosur too, an AI system is helping elephants. These systems may not be perfect, no system ever is, but the foremost goal is protection. The future of AI lies not just in innovation, but in using technology where it matters most: solving real problems, in real places, and for real lives #AIforgood #wildlifeconservation #MadukkaraiAIProject #elephants WWF-India WWF IUCN
Supriya Sahu IAS177,090 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten
With the holidays in full swing, the elephant camp at Theppakadu is reverberating with the cheerful chatter of excited visitors. Nestled within the breathtaking Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, the Theppakadu Elephant Camp is one of the oldest elephant camps in Asia. Here, mahouts lovingly feed and care for these gentle giants, nurturing a bond that has been passed down through generations. Watching the elephants relish their meals amidst laughter, wonder, and the sounds of the wild is truly a magical experience #TNForest #elephants #Theppakadu
Supriya Sahu IAS37,907 Aufrufe • vor 16 Tagen
Here is a wild masterpiece that many have never heard about. Tamil Nadu holds one of India’s most astonishing hidden landscapes, the Theri Kadu or the red sand dune Forests of Thoothukudi. These flame coloured dunes, sculpted by wind over thousands of years from ancient marine sands, are living geological archives of sea, climate and time. Their striking crimson hue comes from iron-rich minerals, making Theri Kadu not just beautiful, but globally significant. Beyond the dunes lies a resilient forest ecosystem protected within Theri Reserved Forest landscapes such as Kuthiraimozhi Theri RF with 5,152 ha and Sathankulam RF. with 899.08 Ha. Though seemingly arid, these porous sands harvest rain, recharge groundwater and sustain precious freshwater springs known as Sunai in a low-rainfall region. This is nature’s water bank hidden beneath a desert of red. Theri is also alive with remarkable biodiversity. Over 500 plant species thrive here, specially adapted to harsh sandy soils. Madras hedgehogs, foxes, pangolins, reptiles, owls, butterflies and the dazzling fan-throated lizard find refuge in this rare habitat. #Theri #TamilNadu #Biodiversity #Conservation #RedSandDunes
Supriya Sahu IAS73,365 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
Busy busy day at our Theppakadu elephant camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. Mahouts are mixing ragi, rice,Jaggery, coconut, salt and minerals into massive food balls which are directly fed to our majestic elephants waiting patiently for their wholesome meal after which they will be left to forage in the forest Video Supriya Sahu IAS Tamil Nadu Forest Department #Elephants #elephants #WildlifeConservation #Theppakadu #MudumalaiTigerReserve #TNForest
Supriya Sahu IAS598,452 Aufrufe • vor 10 Monaten
Woo hoo ! Tamil Nadu,your first Dark Sky Park is here at Ariyur Shola Reserve Forest at Kolli Hills.Crystal-clear, light-pollution-free skies. Structured stargazing sessions. New moon night camps. Get ready to look up and witness the stars like never before. Reach the Universe Starvoirs Details at #DarkSkyPark #KolliHills #TNForest
Supriya Sahu IAS185,380 Aufrufe • vor 3 Monaten
Along the coast of Tamil Nadu, in the waters of Ramanathapuram, particularly around Pamban, Keelakarai and Ervadi over 300 traditionally skilled fisherwomen dive into the sea everyday to earn for their families. Setting out in groups of eight to ten by boat before sunrise, they skin-dive up to depths of 4–5 metres, hand-picking seaweed from the seabed and gathering it in mesh bags known locally as kacha. By the time they return to shore around 1 p.m., each woman brings back 10–12 bags of seaweed, with each bag weighing 20–25 kilograms. Their labour sustains their families supporting children’s education, and household needs. Government of Tamil Nadu, under the TN-SHORE Project, is designing a Village Enterprise Model working with them to strengthen their enterprise, build value chains and empower them economically. This Women’s Day, we salute these seaweed gatherers of Tamil Nadu, truly courageous women who inspire 🫡 #InternationalWomensDay2026 #WomensDay2026 #WomensDay Tamil Nadu Forest Department TN Climate Change Mission
Supriya Sahu IAS152,039 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten
Some incredible news from the shores of Tamil Nadu. Our satellite-tagged Olive Ridley turtle Kayal, released at Besant Nagar, has returned not once, but three times to nest along the Chennai coast, laying 389 eggs in a single season. She travelled south and then chose Chennai again. Another turtle, Megalai, returned twice, laying 211 eggs. Science now confirms what we long believed, nesting-site fidelity is real. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has established 49 turtle hatcheries across 10 coastal districts. So far, 1,150 nests have been secured, protecting 1,35,304 eggs, and 477 hatchlings have safely made their way to the sea. Yes, challenges remain. We are monitoring the coastline 24×7 through our State-level Turtle Task Force. So far, 668 turtle mortalities have been reported across the state, which we are closely monitoring and addressing through strengthened protection and coordinated action. #TNForest #Turtleconservation #wildlifeconservation IUCN UN Environment Programme Tamil Nadu Forest Department
Supriya Sahu IAS163,856 Aufrufe • vor 3 Monaten
Much like human babies growing inside their mother’s womb, mangrove seedlings begin life while still attached to the mother tree, a process called viviparous germination. These tiny life forms, known as propagules, grow and develop before they even fall, and when they do, they float across waters for days, sometimes weeks, carrying with them the incredible ability to take root wherever they land. The propagules consist of a stem-like structure with a bulbous cap and a small crown of embryonic leaves. Mangroves are superheroes in the fight against climate change and serve as symbols of resilience and adaptation. #Mangroves #TNForest #Climateaction
Supriya Sahu IAS99,941 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten
The year ends on a heartwarming note for us at TN Forest Department, as our Foresters united a lost baby elephant with her mother and the herd after rescue in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve at Pollachi. The little calf was found searching for the mother when field teams spotted her. With the help of drones & experienced forest watchers the herd was located and the tiny calf was safely reunited. Teams are still on ground for monitoring. Kudos to Ramasubramanian, CF, Bhargava Teja FD, Range officer Manikantan and the entire team 👍 videos FD TN DIPR Tamil Nadu Forest Department MoEF&CC #elephantcalf
Supriya Sahu IAS1,140,573 Aufrufe • vor 2 Jahren
Zero elephant deaths on railway tracks in the last two years in Madukkarai, Tamil Nadu, on the very tracks that once witnessed tragic losses of precious elephant lives. Last night, I was with my team at the Madukkarai AI Elephant Centre, reviewing the functioning of the AI early-warning system, which has enabled nearly 6,000 safe elephant crossings, showing that technology can meaningfully reduce conflict when applied thoughtfully. No system is ever perfect, but solutions like this show what is possible when prevention is prioritised.#AIforgood #elephants #MadukkaraiAIproject
Supriya Sahu IAS216,449 Aufrufe • vor 5 Monaten
Incredible sight ! A big shout-out to Loco Pilot Das and Assistant Loco Pilot Umesh Kumar of the 15959 Kamrup Express for their swift and heroic action on 16th October in saving a herd of about 60 elephants crossing the railway tracks between Habaipur and Lamsakhang by applying emergency brakes. Pilots were alerted through a Artificial Intelligence based Detection System which comprehensively covers the track. This incident spotlights the importance of technology to prevent such near-misses. Tamil Nadu’s AI-based surveillance system implemented by us in Madukkarai, Coimbatore has also successfully prevented elephant-train collisions through 24/7 monitoring with thermal cameras and real-time alerts. Implementing similar solutions across vulnerable tracks can significantly reduce fatalities and enhance coexistence between wildlife and human infrastructure. Video मं.रे.प्र.लामडिंग, पू.सी.रेलवे / DRM LUMDING NFR #elephants #madukkarai #wildlifeconservation #AIinwildlifeconservation Tamil Nadu Forest Department
Supriya Sahu IAS660,801 Aufrufe • vor 1 Jahr
Coimbatore Forest Division team has successfully rescued a wild female elephant that had slipped into marshy soil near Kuppanur village. As she is weak and exhausted, medical care is being provided with dedicated field teams remaining on-site. Expert team is monitoring her well being #TNForest #Elephants
Supriya Sahu IAS143,860 Aufrufe • vor 4 Monaten
The Circle of life continues #TheElephantsWhisperers Bomman & Bellie are now foster parents to another orphaned baby elephant from Dharmapuri,now in #Mudumalai after Team #TNForest tried its best to reunite the 4 months old calf with herd. We are happy he is in safe hands. vc-ss
Supriya Sahu IAS985,403 Aufrufe • vor 3 Jahren