CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday laid the foundation stone for the state’s first Sea Turtle Conservation Centre at Guindy in Chennai, marking a significant step in strengthening marine biodiversity conservation.
It will be established as a centre of excellence under the Tamil Nadu Sustainably Harnessing Ocean Resources and Blue Economy (TN-SHORE) project, a World Bank-aided initiative, at Rs 14.50 crore, according to an official release. The Sea Turtle Conservation Centre is aimed at addressing the growing scientific and operational challenges associated with marine turtle conservation. It will house specialised facilities for research, satellite telemetry, monitoring and centralised data management. The centre will also function as a training and capacity-building hub, support public education and outreach, and act as a nodal institution for inter-departmental coordination.
Tamil Nadu’s coastline is among the most important sea turtle nesting habitats in India, particularly for the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle. Nesting is recorded every year along the coasts of Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam. Notably, TN is the only state in the country that hosts five of the world’s six sea turtle species.
Sea turtles face extremely low survival rates, with only one or two hatchlings out of a thousand reaching adulthood.