2.29 lakh Olive Ridley hatchlings saved in Tamil Nadu despite early losses

Chennai: Despite an early setback with over 1,000 Olive Ridley turtles found dead along the East Coast from Chennai to Kanchipuram, the 2024-2025 breeding season has achieved a record-breaking 2.29 lakh hatchlings released from 3.19 lakh eggs collected across Tamil Nadu.

Cuddalore and Chennai led the surge, with the number of hatchlings nearly quadrupling compared to the 2019–2020 season.

Data released by the Forest Department shows 3,19,895 eggs were collected statewide, resulting in 2,29,432 hatchlings released into the sea. Cuddalore accounted for 81,662 hatchlings, followed by Mayiladuthurai (38,582) and Chennai (37,689). This marks a significant increase from the 2,15,778 hatchlings released in 2023–2024.

“Compared to 2019–2020, hatchlings increased nearly fourfold, indicating remarkable progress. The consistent rise reflects successful turtle management and improved coastal protection,” Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary (Environment and Forests), said.

Olive Ridley turtles, vital to marine ecosystems, faced a crisis in January 2025 when over 1,000 carcasses washed ashore during their mating season. Environmentalists attributed the deaths to rampant trawler use within the prohibited five-nautical-mile coastal zone and the lack of turtle excluder devices (TEDs) on fishing vessels.

Female olive ridley turtles come ashore to nest after mating near the coast, making them particularly vulnerable.

Sahu said a dedicated mobile app has been launched for better monitoring and data collection which would help the Forest Department and volunteers track information such as nest width, depth, and temperature.

Though carcasses of Olive Ridley turtles being found on the shores during their mating season is not new but the number was too high this year.

After the outrage from environmentalists, the Tamil Nadu government stepped in during the last week of January to contain the damage by warning fishermen of action if they used trawl nets for fishing within five nautical miles of the shore.

Activists noted that post-January measures significantly reduced turtle mortality and emphasized that only one in 1,000 hatchlings survives to adulthood and returns to nest, underscoring the importance of conservation efforts. They also urged maintaining clean beaches, free of garbage and overgrown creepers, to support nesting mothers.