Over 1,100 dead sea turtles found along India's coastline
What's the story
In an unprecedented incident, over 1,100 olive ridley sea turtles were found dead on the beaches of Tamil Nadu in January.
The mass stranding is the largest recorded in the region in the last three decades, Kuppusamy Sivakumar from Pondicherry University told The New Indian Express.
Most of these carcasses were found near Chennai, where usually only 100-150 turtles nest every year.
Citizen alert
Local resident reports alarming discovery
Chennai resident Rajiv Rai said he found around 80 dead turtles on a 2km stretch of beach near his home.
He informed the state's forest department, which is tasked with burying the carcasses. However, burials are currently delayed due to the sheer number of deaths.
An initial necropsy showed lung lesions and bulging eyes in one turtle carcass, indicating suffocation and drowning as possible causes of death.
Unresolved mystery
Possible causes and violations of local laws
The exact cause of the mass deaths remains unclear. Sivakumar suggested that net fishing could have entangled and drowned the turtles near nesting beaches.
It is uncertain whether they were caught near Chennai or drifted there due to winds or currents.
Environmental activist Yuvan Aves pointed out that commercial fishing vessels often ignore local laws in Chennai's waters, potentially contributing to this tragedy.
Official action
Government response to turtle deaths
After media reports of the crisis, Tamil Nadu authorities arrested 24 trawler boats illegally operating off Chennai's coast.
The government has also constituted a special task force and joint patrol team to keep a check on maritime activities that may harm turtles.
Chennai's wildlife warden Manish Meena said, "Night patrols have been intensified to protect hatchlings."
Endangered species
Conservationist expresses concern over turtle deaths
Despite conservation efforts that have brought olive ridley turtles back from the brink of endangerment, Aves was deeply concerned about the scale of this tragedy.
He described the grim scene on Chennai's coast, where "every few strides, you can see bulge-eyed turtles till the horizon."
This incident speaks volumes about the vulnerability of these marine creatures and the urgent need to enforce fishing regulations.