Navi Mumbai: Activists Push For More Turtle Tagging After Remarkable 3,500-Km Journey From Odisha To Maharashtra's Ratnagiri

Navi Mumbai: Activists are demanding satellite telemetry tagging of more turtles after reports emerged of an Olive Ridley turtle swimming more than 3,500 kilometers from Odisha’s Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary to Guhagar beach in Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district, where it laid 120 eggs earlier this year.

The tagged turtle, bearing the metal identification number ‘03233’, was first noticed on January 31, 2025, by volunteers from Kasav Mitra (Friends of Turtles) — a local conservation group working under the Mangrove Foundation. The turtle had been originally tagged on March 21, 2021, at Gahirmatha beach in Odisha.

“This incredible journey shows the urgent need for satellite telemetry, which can track the real-time movements and migratory paths of turtles,” said B N Kumar, Director of NatConnect Foundation. “Current metal tagging offers limited data — just the location and date of tagging — but gives no insights into the stopovers or routes taken by these incredible navigators.”

According to Divisional Forest Officer (South Konkan), Kanchan Pawar, the turtle laid 120 eggs at Guhagar beach, and 107 hatchlings were safely released into the sea between March 23 and 26. “The highest number of hatchlings, 74, emerged on March 24 alone,” Pawar noted. The adult turtle was also safely returned to the ocean.

Dr. Basudev Tripathy, senior scientist at the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), who has worked extensively on turtle conservation, expressed his astonishment at the turtle's westward migration. “This is a rare but welcome sighting. Sea turtles are essential to marine ecosystems — they help control jellyfish populations and support coral and seagrass health,” he said.

The Olive Ridley Project, a global turtle conservation initiative, highlights that turtles play a key role in transporting marine organisms across oceans, contributing to biodiversity by linking reefs, seagrass beds, and open waters. “Their ability to travel vast distances means they are vital ecological connectors,” the project’s website states.

As turtles continue to nest along Maharashtra’s coast, conservationists are calling on the government and marine research institutions to adopt advanced tracking technologies. “With satellite telemetry, we can better protect these endangered species and their habitats,” Kumar emphasized.

The story of turtle ‘03233’ is not just a record-setting journey—it’s a call to action for enhanced conservation efforts across India’s coastlines, Kumar added.