Home / Environment / Olive Ridley Eggs Surge: Chennai Beaches See Nesting Boom
Olive Ridley Eggs Surge: Chennai Beaches See Nesting Boom
12 Feb
Summary
- Over 2,000 olive ridley turtle eggs collected in one night.
- Nesting activity nearly triples compared to last year.
- Conservation efforts attributed to increased nesting success.
Chennai's coastline has witnessed an unprecedented surge in olive ridley sea turtle nesting this season. Wildlife officials recently gathered more than 2,000 eggs from 18 nests located on Elliot's Beach and Marina Beach in a single night, marking a significant achievement.
The data reveals a substantial increase in nesting activity compared to the previous year. In January 2026, officials documented 63 nests, a threefold rise from the 23 nests recorded in January 2025. As of February 2026, 119 nests have been identified, with a total of 14,061 eggs collected so far.
State forest secretary Supriya Sahu highlighted that each nest averaged over 125 eggs, a very encouraging sign for the endangered species. Over the past 41 days, the dedicated turtle walk team has identified 100 nests, including two natural nests, and has already released the first batch of 88 hatchlings.
Officials attribute this positive trend to intensified patrolling by forest and fisheries personnel, significantly reducing sea turtle mortalities. Targeted outreach campaigns in fishing hamlets, using tom-tom announcements, have also been crucial in informing coastal communities and requesting fishermen to avoid fishing within the prohibited five nautical mile zone.
Biologists note a substantial rise in awareness about sea turtle conservation over the past decade, with long-term efforts contributing to a gradual recovery of wild populations. This season, the number of dead turtles washing ashore has also dropped dramatically compared to the previous year.
