Death of turtles: vet varsity to take up study

An Olive Ridley Turtle which was sighted in the jurisdiction of the Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary.PHOTO: T. APPALA NAIDU

Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU) will take up a scientific study to find out reasons for the death of Olive Ridley Turtles along the Andhra Pradesh coast. Mass death of Olive Ridley Turtles has been reported across the Andhra Pradesh coast despite the forest authorities adopting the in situ conservation method through rookeries.

Responding to a report – Conservation eludes Olive Ridley Turtles – carried out by The Hindu in these columns on Saturday, the varsity’s fisheries wing has expressed its keen interest in finding out the reasons that are leading to the death of Olive Ridley Turtles.

“Trapping in the fishing nets is not the only cause for the death of turtles along the Andhra Pradesh coast, including Krishna district. We seek support from the experts of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Kochi, to establish the scientific reasons for the turtles’ death,” SVVU Dean of Fisheries T.V. Ramana told

The Hindu . Mr. Ramana said that the research would focus on whether the death of the turtles was due to any pollutant, disease or any disturbance to the life cycle of the turtles during the breeding season.

“Several marine water parameters will also provide us clues to identify any threat for the survival of the turtles in certain locations of the Bay of Bengal. Our study will broadly concentrate on ascertaining the scientific reasons for the death of turtles,” said Mr. Ramana. The university’s fisheries wing in support of Fisheries Polytechnic College at Bhavadevarapalli in Krishna district is planning to obtain permission from the wildlife authorities to collect the carcasses of the Olive Ridley Turtles in Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary and other places.

Preservation

“Since the Olive Ridley Turtle falls in the category of marine species, we are keen on preserving the turtle skeletons in our college at Bhavadevrapalli to use them for our academic purpose,” said Mr. Ramana.

Trapping in the fishing nets is not the only cause for the death of turtles along the Andhra Pradesh coast.

T.V. Ramana

Dean of Fisheries, SVVU