Chennai: Wildlife officials in Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts were surprised to discover an Olive Ridley sea turtle nest along their coastline, a rare occurrence given the region's geography. Typically, Olive Ridley turtles migrate from Sri Lanka to Odisha for mass nesting, with some laying eggs along Tamil Nadu's east coast. However, they tend to avoid the rocky stretches of Tirunelveli and Nagercoil.
"Turtles find it challenging to locate suitable sandy strips amidst the rock patches along the coastal areas of Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin," said Kanyakumari district forest officer E Prasant. He also said that this limitation significantly reduces the number of eggs laid in these regions compared to Chennai. "It is not easy for sea turtles to find a nesting site in this terrain," he added.
Despite these challenges, this month saw a rise in nesting activity in Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli. Officials already collected nearly 300 eggs in Dec. On Nov 23, a nest was located in Kanyakumari, followed by another in Tirunelveli on Nov 24, and a second nest in Tirunelveli last week.
Prasant said that Olive Ridleys typically lay eggs after the northeast monsoon ends. The shoreline conditions during this period are ideal for hatching, as the warmth aids incubation. However, unseasonal rains in Jan or Feb could jeopardise the process by causing the eggs to decay. "This early nesting is rare and likely a stray incident," he added.
Meanwhile, in Chennai, the nesting season traditionally starts at the end of Dec, after the monsoon's withdrawal. Currently, the city's coastline is witnessing dead sea turtles washing ashore. An official from Chennai mentioned that during the peak season, nearly 50,000 eggs are collected, with a significant number of hatchlings released back into the sea.