Sea Turtles Tagged: New Conservation Effort Launched

A collaborative turtle tagging program is scheduled to commence during the upcoming Olive Ridley nesting season along the Mangaluru coast. This initiative by the Arabian Sea Fisheries Management Coordination Committee (Sea-MC²), in conjunction with the forest department and the College of Fisheries, will utilize scientific tagging methods to track sea turtles. Methods such as flipper tags and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags will be employed to collect data on migratory routes and population dynamics.

While hatchlings typically are not tagged due to their delicate nature, the project plans for limited 'nano-tagging' under controlled conditions. This will help study early survival rates, movement, and feeding behaviours. The collected data is intended to inform evidence-based conservation strategies and enhance turtle protection efforts regionally and nationally.

Meanwhile, the recent emergence of 84 Olive Ridley hatchlings at Sasihithlu marks the latest event in the ongoing nesting season, with eight nests recorded across Idya, Bengre, and Sasihithlu. Although the number of nesting sites has reportedly decreased compared to the previous year, possibly due to climate factors, the hatching success rate remains encouraging at approximately 65-70%.

Conservation officials emphasize the critical role of clean beaches for successful nesting and hatching. They highlight the need for proper waste segregation at the source to prevent plastic pollution, which currently clogs many stormwater drains. The threat of ghost nets to marine life is also a concern. Healthy turtle nesting is viewed as an indicator of a robust marine ecosystem, potentially leading to improved fish catches.