The “Save A Turtle” campaign and the entire turtle initiative have been in the news for quite a time now and it is that time of the season where the young turtle hatchlings are released back into the sea in an effort to protect the already endangered Olive Ridleys.
Great start
The initiative started in February when people from different parts of the country joined hands with various organisations to protect the endangered Olive Ridleys. With great support from the Government of India, organisations have moved from strength to strength with more volunteers pitching in to create awareness among the local public.
The awareness programmes did bring in a marginal improvement with people who hit the beaches often but by March, what we saw was astounding success with the local public engaging themselves with the beach cleanup. Such was the effort that had gone into the initiative by the volunteers who struggled and slogged all day long to create awareness and make people realise the need for the hour.
The Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network ( SSTCN) have been involved with this initiative for a long time now and they began their campaign by educating people about the need for the conservation of turtles. and that really saw a lot of people joining them for the Turtle Walks. Arun, its co-ordinator, who has been a seasoned campaigner for the Turtle Initiative for 14 years now, is all happy as the SSTCN have so far collected about 180 nests to the 90 they had collected last year. The intensity of the beach cleanups has increased over the years and even the local groups are doing their bit for the environment. With a big smile he says, a lot of people have turned up for the Turtle Walks this time; at least 25000 of them! Another volunteer of the SSTCN, Akila, proudly says that they have released about 4000 hatchlings into the sea so far and she hopes to touch the 10,000 mark! Patrolling in the beaches has been quite intense over the last few years to make sure they don't miss out on the hatchlings and the tracks.
Increased participation
And with the end of the season, the hatchlings are being released from both the hatcheries in Elliots and Marina. A lot of volunteers have pitched in to take care of the hatchlings round the clock, she says.
The Government of India had earlier announced that the bright mast lights would go off until the end of the nesting period to avoid the mother turtles from getting attracted to the road. Also, now with the participation of school kids and college goers in the turtle initiative, the awareness has further stepped up and hopefully this will make a big difference.
Sources in the forest department said the miscreants who indulge in the killing of the endangered Olive Ridleys would meet with severe punishment under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Dr. S. David Raj, Forest Range Officer, said that the amount of plastic on the shores has reduced to a great extent.
So far the results have been very encouraging and it is on the upward curve with a lot of dedicated volunteers joining hands for this very initiative.
Success meter
“Happy that the SSTCN have so far collected about 180 nests to the 90 collected last year”
- ARUN, coordinator, SSTCN
“We have released about 4000 hatchlings into the sea so far and hope to touch the 10,000 mark!”
- AKILA, volunteer, SSTCN
“There has been a great awareness this time, even among the fishermen who have promised to release the hatchlings that get caught in the fishing nets.”
- DR. S. DAVID RAJ, Forest Range Officer
For those who wish to do their bit for the society and some good to the endangered turtle species, here is your chance. Ring Hafiz @ 99401 42349 for turtle initiative campaigns.
Make a difference by joining hands for release of hatchlings with SSTCN: call Arun@ 9789864166 or Akila @ 9940300200.
Praveen is a Final Year Information Technology student at Rajalakshmi Engineering College.
