Thousands Of Baby Olive Ridley Turtles Released Into Chennai Sea

"Goosebumps to see these tiny baby turtles making their first voyage into the sea from our Forest Department Olive Ridley turtle hatchery at the Besant Nagar beach in Chennai". This was a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, by Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Supriya Sahu on Monday, April 1.

The video, which has gone viral, shows a worker gently releasing the newly hatched Olive Ridley turtles into the sea in Chennai, marking the beginning of their perilous journey in the vast ocean. “A new life, a new beginning as thousands of tiny baby Olive Ridley turtles begin their incredible journey into the world."

The Olive Ridley turtle, also known as the Pacific Ridley sea turtle, belongs to the Cheloniidae family. It is a small-sized sea turtle and ranks among the second-smallest species of sea turtles in the world. Despite its small size, it is the most abundant sea turtle species on the planet. The name "Olive Ridley" is derived from the olive green color of its shell. Although abundant, this species is vulnerable because they nest in a limited number of beaches. Therefore, any disturbance to even one nesting beach could have consequences on the entire population.

A Vulnerable Lot

According to recent reports, the nesting season for Olive Ridley turtles started slowly this year but picked up in March on the city's beaches. However, experts had predicted that cyclone Michaung, which hit the city's coast in December 2023, could adversely affect the nesting of these turtles. Keeping this in mind, the Tamil Nadu government has taken proactive measures to protect vulnerable Olive Ridley turtles.

In March, Sahu shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) showcasing images of climate-resilient hatcheries that collect temperature and heavy rainfall data, which are monitored by professionals. The state government has ordered the establishment of these climate-resilient turtle hatcheries at 10 locations across eight districts.

An Ancient Species

Turtles are a unique species that have managed to survive for over 110 million years, even outliving the dinosaurs. In India, the Olive Ridley turtles can be spotted along the coastal areas between November and May. Neelangarai to Besant Nagar Beach in Chennai are among the places where they are known to nest. The voluntary group Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network (SSTCN) features students and young adults who have been working on the beaches of Chennai since 1987, trying to conserve and create awareness about the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle, which nests on these beaches at night between January and April.

The Olive Ridley turtle, also known as the Pacific Ridley sea turtle, belongs to the family Cheloniidae. It is a small-sized sea turtle and ranks among the second-smallest species of sea turtles in the world. However, what it lacks in size, it makes up for in numbers. The Olive Ridley is the most abundant species of sea turtle on the planet. The name for this sea turtle is tied to the color of its shell—an olive green hue. They are currently the most abundant of all sea turtles. Their vulnerable status comes from the fact that they nest in a very small number of places, and therefore any disturbance to even one nest beach could have huge repercussions on the entire population.