Carcasses of 5 green sea turtles found near Kudankulam

Five green sea turtles were washed ashore at two locations near Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district on Saturday.

Wilson Jabagnanam, Sub Inspector of Police, Coastal Security Group (CSG), Kudankulam, said the carcass of the turtles were in a decomposed state.

Each of the turtles weighed around 30 kg. The carcasses were found at Panjal and Chettikulam shores.

Tirunelveli Forest Range Officer P Karuppaiah said the green sea turtle is an endangered marine being, which’s a Schedule –I species, protected under the wildlife act. While four of the carcasses were spotted at Panjal, one was found at Chettikulam.

Among these, three were female. Such ones could have been hit by the propeller of a boat or even at groynes. One of the carcasses had a hook on its throat. Post mortem examination was done by a team comprising Manoharan, doctor, Veterinary Forest Unit and Muthukumar, faculty from Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tirunelveli. R. Durai Raja, assistant professor, Department of Fisheries Biology, Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thoothukudi also inspected the spot. After the post mortem, the carcasses were buried at the same spots, he said.

Durai Raja said one of the turtles was found to have bled on its carapace. It seemed they were sub-adults possibly in the age group of 10 to 14 years.

Tamil Nadu Chief Wildlife Warden Shekhar Kumar Niraj, when contacted said, it’s unfortunate and added that this was normal nesting season, December to March, for sea turtles especially for the Olive ridley species. On the cause of death, he said it could be due to trawling in boats or attempts of illegal poaching. The green sea turtles are listed under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species, mostly feed on seaweed and seagrass in shallow waters, Niraj said.