As many as 1,83,497 Olive Ridley hatchlings were released into sea along the Tamil Nadu coast this year. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has said that the number of sea turtle hatchlings released in 2022-23 was the highest in the last seven years.
Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forests, said the Forest Department, along with volunteers and turtle conservation organisations, had set up 35 hatcheries across the State as against 22 last year. The increase in the number of hatcheries helped push up the number of hatchlings, she added.
The hatchlings released this breeding season, which lasts from January to May, marked a rise from 1,72,339 in 2021-22. The count has been above the 1-lakh mark since 2017-18, when 1,21,289 turtles were recorded entering the waters, barring a sharp drop in 2019-20 when 60,789 hatchlings were released.
“The State will work on mapping areas that currently do not have hatcheries but are known to receive hatchlings,” Ms. Sahu said, adding that the sea turtle conservation rehabilitation centre, which will be set up in Chennai, would also work towards capacity building for field staff workers.
Sea turtles are known to encounter a number of hurdles while making their way to the coast for breeding. One that has been highlighted is the threat of fishing gear in which sea turtles often get entangled. “We are working on a mechanism to incentivise removal of ghost nets, and the programme will begin before the upcoming breeding season,” said Ms. Sahu.
Soaring temperatures, especially this year, emerged as a problem in maintaining the natural balance of sex among hatchlings, said Supraja Dharini of TREE foundation, an organisation that works jointly with the Forest Department in Chennai and Chengalpattu.
“Our hatcheries had a 95% hatchling emergence rate as we maintained temperature around 30-32 degrees,” she said.
