Olive Ridley sea turtles have begun nesting along the coast of Chennai and Chengalpattu.
Around five nests have been found and moved to hatcheries so far, said E. Prasanth, Wildlife Warden, Chennai. The pace of turtle nesting is expected to pick up from next week, he added. Hatcheries have been set up in Besant Nagar, Pulicat, Injambakkam, and Kovalam.
The Bay of Bengal coast is one of the major nesting sites for Olive Ridleys. While the famed mass nesting or arribadas occurs in Odisha coast, the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh coasts are frequented by solitary female turtles. Each Olive Ridley turtle lays about 100 eggs, which take around 45 to 60 days to hatch. February is the peak season for turtle nesting.
