The shores of Tamil Nadu, particularly Chennai and nearby districts, have witnessed an alarming sight over the past two weeks: over 300 dead olive ridley turtles washing ashore. Conservationists are deeply concerned about this unusual spike in mortalities so early in the nesting season, which typically extends from November to March.

Carcasses have been found in areas such as Neelankarai, Besant Nagar, Kovalam, and Pulicat. Reports of sightings have surged, with volunteers and citizens notifying conservation groups of turtle carcasses across multiple beaches.

Experts suggest that the primary cause of these deaths is accidental entanglement in commercial fishing nets. Olive ridley turtles, which surface to breathe, often get trapped in trawler nets, leading to asphyxiation. Post-mortems of turtle carcasses have revealed lung lesions, bulging eyes, and swollen necks, further supporting suffocation as the cause of death.

This year, an increased fish population near turtle gathering areas may have attracted more trawlers, compounding the threat to these endangered creatures. Dr. K Sivakumar, an ecology professor, emphasized the need for a comparative analysis of fish catch data to determine whether this trend is linked to a spike in fishing activity.

Conservationists are calling for immediate measures, such as enforcing the use of turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in trawler nets, to mitigate accidental bycatch. Supraja Dharini, founder of the Tree Foundation, stressed the importance of protecting nesting grounds and ensuring the survival of these marine species.

The deaths highlight the urgent need for collaboration between fishermen, conservationists, and authorities to safeguard the fragile marine ecosystem and the olive ridley turtles’ survival.