The turtle nests have been transported to a hatchery.
| Photo Credit: B. VELANKANNI RAJ
Two Olive Ridley turtle nests found near Besant Nagar and Thiruvanmiyur have been transported to the hatchery set up by the Forest Department.
This marks the first set of nests in the hatchery for the current nesting season. Olive Ridley turtles come ashore to nest in the night between January and April. During this period, forest guards and volunteers patrol the coastline to locate nests and relocate the eggs to the hatchery for protection.
Manish Meena, Wildlife Warden of Chennai, said that two other nests had already been found near Besant Nagar and are currently being monitored ex-situ.
A volunteer with the Students’ Sea Turtle Conservation Network (SSTCN), which works alongside the Forest Department in managing the hatcheries, said that more than 100 turtle carcasses have been found so far between Besant Nagar and Thiruvanmiyur.
The volunteer added that patrolling has been strengthened over the past couple of weeks to deter trawlers from fishing close to the shore.
Mr. Meena also said that experts from the Wildlife Institute of India and the Advanced Institute of Wildlife Conservation are working to locate turtles for a radio telemetry study. In addition, sea turtles will be fitted with flipper tags to track their migration patterns, growth, and overall population health.
Published – January 05, 2026 12:51 am IST