It’s turtle time in coastal Karnataka Premium

Though the sea turtles take abundant precaution in choosing their nesting sites by arriving on beaches during full moon high-tides and digging nests for a depth of up to 1.5 ft as far as away from the high-tide line, eggs so laid are often devoured by predators, including stray dogs. And sometimes by human beings too.

It is turtle time in coastal Karnataka with hundreds of sea turtles, mainly the Olive Ridleys, flocking to the beaches to lay eggs during December-March. There are also efforts to safeguard them so as to ensure the turtle offspring return to the sea after a gap of 45-60 days.

Though the sea turtles take abundant precaution in choosing their nesting sites by arriving on beaches during full moon high-tides and digging nests for a depth of up to 1.5 ft as far as away from the high-tide line, eggs so laid are often devoured by predators, including stray dogs. And sometimes by human beings too.

With increasing awareness among people, several initiatives of the government through the Forest Department and legal framework for turtle protection, turtle conservation, protection of their eggs and safe release of the hatchlings are getting institutionalised across the country in general and Karnataka coast in particular.

All five species of marine turtles found in Indian waters—the Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys Olivacea), Green (Chelonia Mydas), Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), Leatherback (Dermochelys Coriacea) and Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) — are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

While Olive Ridleys visit the Karnataka coast in large numbers, a few Green turtles too are rare visitors, according to forest department officials.

Officials said after 1985-86, sea turtle nesting was not predominantly noticed along the Karnataka coast till about 2020-2021, from which period sporadic instances of turtle nesting were being witnessed on the beaches of the three coastal districts. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) also came out with the National Marine Turtle Action Plan in 2021 listing out dos and don’ts with regard to turtle conservation.

The Plan said, “Marine turtles play a variety of ecological roles for maintaining healthy marine habitats like controlling prey populations, supporting coastal vegetation through their hatchlings etc. Their presence is an indicator of healthy marine ecosystems and provides a source of revenue for local communities through tourism. Marine turtles thus present themselves as a key indicator of healthy marine habitats and an opportunity for conservation of associated species.”