Sizzling Chennai churns out female turtle hatchlings

CHENNAI: The Chennai coast, one of the best breeding grounds for Olive Ridley turtles in the country after Odisha, is churning out more female turtle hatchlings, thanks to the hot weather conditions.

The coastal city’s temperature almost always stays above 29 degree Celsius, which plays a role in determining the sex of the turtles, Gopinath and Madhan, seasoned turtle egg collectors attached to the Forest Department, told DT Next.

Though the concept of turtle conservation in Chennai dates back to the British era, it was only a decade ago that the department started streamlining the exercise by recording the number of hatcheries and the nesting details across the State.

As it celebrated World Turtle Day on Tuesday, the department said the hatching rate in the city had increased to an all-time high of 78.94 per cent. In the 2022-23 season (December to March), it collected 2,16,903 eggs, of which 1,71,230 hatched. The young ones were released from four hatcheries based along the Chennai coast, said Kalai Vendhan, forest ranger, Guindy National Park.

Going by Chennai’s temperature and weather pattern, at least 70 per cent of the hatchlings would be female, said the foresters involved in tracking sea turtles.

If they survive, these hatchlings would return to the Chennai coast as mama turtles to lay eggs. “These turtles have the habit of returning to the beach where they hatched,” said Gopinath and Madhan. The turtles that visit the TN coast stretching from Chennai to Thoothukudi are all female, added Madhan, explaining how the male turtles do not visit beachfront.

‘Dip in turtle populace affects fishermen’s livelihood’

A dip in the turtle population could have adverse long-term effects on the TN coast resulting in reduced fish catch. The way beaches are developing near the city puts more pressure on the forest department to protect the turtles, warn Tamil Nadu Foresters and conservationists who observed World Turtle day here on Tuesday.

“The probability of turtle survival is 1:1,000 and so, we need more conservation efforts to protect them especially considering the beaches in Tiruvallur and those beyond Neelangarai are undergoing a lot of development,” city wildlife warden E Prashanth told DT Next.

Adding that the city has a decade-long data of nesting turtles, he elaborated: “There are proposals to enhance turtle conservation through long-term research projects. And, training the staff is another crucial area for which the department is working on. Luckily, Chennai’s nightlife is not that active. That’s the only respite for nesting turtles during the night.”

In Chennai, Prashanth ensures that the nesting pattern of turtles is studied in detail and a similar pattern is created in the temporary hatcheries so that the natural parameters are not violated.

“Even the eggs that are collected as per order are buried in the same order to ensure that the sex pattern is decided by nature,” pointed out Guindy National Park forest ranger Kalai Vendhan.

Giving a pep talk for the students of VIT Nature Club, conservation scientist A Kumaraguru of Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Tiruchy, explained the significance of turtle conservation. “Turtles are sea scavengers regulating the ocean’s health. They play a major role in consuming jellyfish that depletes the other marine organisms. An increase in jellyfish population could reduce the population of other fish thereby reducing the fish catch and affecting the livelihood of fishermen,” he explained.

In the case of forests, elephants play a major role in keeping the jungle fertile and the same concept is applicable for turtles that migrate from ocean to ocean. Prof V Sai Saraswathi of VIT Nature Club also spoke during the celebrations.

Android app to locate sea turtle nesting grounds along State coast

Fisheries College and Research Institute (FCRI), Thoothukudi, has unveiled a mobile android app to locate sea turtle nesting grounds along TN coast. Developed by FCRI students, the app was launched as part of the World Turtle Day celebrations.

FCRI observed the day on Tuesday to mark the need to conserve these species and their future in the face of dwindling habitats.

The American Tortoise Rescue (ATR), a NGO, began observing World Turtle Day on May 23. Now, it’s celebrated across the world and aims to raise awareness about the need to maintain turtles, tortoises, and their increasingly disappearing habitats.

“This year World Turtle Day theme is ‘I Love Turtles’,” said Dr B Ahilan, dean, FCRI. “A total of 120 participants participated in the programme.”

Prof VK Venkataramani, former dean delivered a special talk on the importance of community-based turtle conservation. C Sudhan, assistant professor, explained about the newly-developed android mobile app in locating the nesting grounds of sea turtles along the mainland of the south Tamil Nadu.

The android mobile app and online blog were released by the Dean. Two third year BFSc students – I Keerthana and V Priyanka – who assisted in developing the application – were honoured on World Turtle Day, FCRI said in a press release.