First-ever green sea turtles nesting photo-documented in Maharashtra; see pics

MUMBAI: There is cause for cheer by the sea, actually, 74, to be precise - this was the number of green sea turtle hatchlings that emerged from their nests at the Devbagh-Tarkarli beach on Saturday. The event has been photo-documented (for this species) for the first time along the Maharashtra coast. The development has been confirmed by officials of the mangrove cell. These are glad tidings for conservationists immersed in marine turtle conservation across Maharashtra.

Sharing the news of this development, the additional principal chief conservator of forests and head of the mangroves cell, Virendra Tiwari, said, “On January 11 this year, one of our patrolling teams found that a turtle had made a nest at the Devbagh beach. As per our standard procedure, the team took images and videos of the turtle, which the experts identified as a green sea turtle, and not the Olive Ridley turtle, which is commonly found to nest here.”

Explaining the sequence of events, Tiwari said, “On Saturday, March 5, the first hatchling of the green sea turtle emerged from the nest, followed by 73 others by evening. Of the total 77 eggs in the nest, 74 hatched, while three failed to hatch. The presence of green sea turtles in the sea around the Maharashtra coast has been evident given their regular sightings and being found entangled in fishermen’s nets. However, the nesting has been documented for the first time, giving a fillip to the efforts towards marine turtle conservation across the state.”

Tarkarli beach, famous for water adventure sports, recorded an Olive Ridley Turtle nest for the first time on January 12, while at a distance of around 2km at Devbagh beach, another was found after almost six years (the previous such instance being in 2015). However, there have been sporadic Olive Ridley nestings in Maharashtra and neighbouring Goa and the Andaman Islands. However, the nesting of green sea turtles is rare and has never been photo-documented before this, according to officials of the mangrove cell.

About green sea turtles

The green sea turtle is one of the largest hard-shell sea turtles and the only herbivore species. Its name comes from the greenish colour of its cartilage and fat, not its shell. Like other sea turtles, members of this species migrate long distances between feeding grounds and the beaches from where they hatched.

The green sea turtle is classified as ‘endangered’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The species is also protected under Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife Act (1972).