More than 400 endangered sea turtles have washed ashore on India's east coast near the city of Chennai in the past two weeks. This is an event not witnessed in more than two decades.
Olive ridley turtles travel thousands of miles for ideal nesting conditions on India's coast. However, the species has been threatened for years as the number of nesting beaches around the world shrinks. Mass deaths like these can be caused by fishing nets that can catch and harm the species.
In a typical year, the city's coastline can expect between 100 to 200 adult turtle deaths. This year, however, the number has already crossed 200 in just two weeks. Environmentalists and forest department officials have been seeing at least 10 dead turtles every day for the past few days, sometimes much more.
Experts say the deaths are most likely because of large fishing nets that trawl the ocean floor. These nets can trap turtles, preventing them from surfacing for air at regular intervals. Additionally, devices that help turtles escape nets are often not used because they reduce fishers' catch.
Olive ridley turtles are considered a vulnerable species as they lose their habitats, are subject to marine pollution, and can get trapped in fishing nets. As their eggs need two months to hatch, they are also threatened by increased land activity on beaches and coastlines, warmer temperatures, and light pollution that can disorient infant turtles.
Despite the challenges, conservationists are working to protect these endangered creatures. They are actively trying to create awareness among fishers to release turtles that might get caught in nets and have also asked the coast guard to monitor fishing activity. A local government order was also implemented in 2016 to stop trawl boats from casting giant nets that sweep up everything on the ocean floor from getting within five nautical miles of the coastline during turtle nesting season.
The turtles play an essential role in the marine ecosystem. One of their main food sources is jellyfish, and an abundance of jellyfish could have adverse consequences for the marine ecosystems.
6 Comments
Rotfront
This news has inspired me to reduce my reliance on seafood and choose sustainable alternatives. 🐟
Matzomaster
This is absolutely heartbreaking! How can we allow this to happen? 🤬 The government and fishing industry need to take immediate action to protect these endangered creatures.
Rotfront
I'm encouraging my friends and family to join me in taking action to protect our planet. 💪
Eugene Alta
Reading this news makes me so angry. It's 2023, and we still haven't learned to coexist peacefully with nature. We need stricter regulations and better enforcement to prevent such tragedies. 😡
Rotfront
It's unacceptable that these turtles are dying due to human negligence and greed. We need to hold the fishing industry accountable and find sustainable fishing methods. ✊
Habibi
This tragedy has shown us that we cannot afford to be complacent. We need to stay informed and continue fighting for the protection of our environment. ✊