Chennai: Around 48,250 Olive Ridley turtle hatchlings have been released into the sea by the state forest officials so far this season, which will conclude by month-end. At least 74,140 eggs were collected from nests and transferred to hatcheries this time. Tamil Nadu recorded 1,985 Olive Ridley nests across nine coastal hatchery districts. Chennai had the maximum number of nest identification, egg collection, and hatchling releases, forest officials said.
Chennai also recorded the highest number of turtle deaths this season. The district's jurisdiction extends to Pulicat in the neighbouring Tiruvallur district. With 458 nests identified and 48,617 eggs collected, Cuddalore ranked second, while Nagapattinam came third with 267 nests and 28,952 eggs gathered. Mayiladuthurai followed in fourth place, where officials found 244 nests and collected 28,952 eggs, releasing 12,561 hatchlings, forest secretary Supriya Sahu said.
The ten hatchery districts span the state's coastline, covering Chennai, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari. The nesting season progressively wound down across several districts. Tuticorin was the first to conclude operations in the first week of April, followed by Cuddalore in mid-April. Villupuram and Ramanathapuram closed their hatcheries in the last week of April.
Chennai's nesting season is expected to conclude by May end, with the remaining hatchlings to be released into the sea before operations are wrapped up. The department operates the hatcheries annually to protect Olive Ridley eggs from natural predators and human interference along Tamil Nadu's coastline.
