In April of this year, the locals of Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh watched in fascination as thousands of Olive Ridley turtles waddled across the sands. It was beautiful. Elaborating on how the scores of turtle hatchlings were released into the sea on the occasion of the Olive Ridley Festival — a two-day event spanning 19 and 20 April — district forest officer S. Venkatesh mentioned that 13 conservation centres are operated along the Baruva Beach. This is in collaboration with Tree Foundation, a Tamil Nadu-based organisation that actively works on sea turtle conservation.
“Volunteers monitor the beaches daily and identify nesting sites by tracking turtle footprints. The eggs are carefully collected and transferred to the protected conservation centres where they hatch after approximately 45–50 days. The hatchlings are then released into the sea during early morning hours between 5:15 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.,” he explained.
As the sun set, the locals witnessed a moment of quiet magic.
Listed ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List, the Olive Ridley turtles face serious threats due to accidental entanglement in fishing gear, habitat destruction, and the illegal collection of their eggs and meat. Their beaches are at risk due to coastal development and human interference. This mass release of the hatchlings proves to be an important moment in conservation.
As Venkatesh noted in an interview with Deccan Chronicle, “Approximately 370,000 eggs were carefully collected.” He added that last year, 1.25 lakh hatchlings were released into the ocean.
According to a World Wildlife Fund estimation, approximately one hatchling survives to reach adulthood for every 1000 hatchlings that enter the sea waters. To this end, the festival celebrated in Srikakulam holds weight — a big moment for the conservationists whose gaze is trained on helping these turtles recoup and find their way back onto our shores.
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