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 #TNForestshow more

Supriya Sahu IAS

282,463 subscribers

Paylaş İndir