THRISSUR: Not just humans, even Olive Ridley turtles used to love the Chavakkad beach in Thrissur. The amphibians would reach the shore every year like clockwork and lay eggs here. However, there has been a marked drop in the turtle footfall at the beach this time.
Conservationists term it an after-effect of the soaring temperature. James N J of Green Habitat, an NGO focused on the turtles’ conservation, said normally, around 500 Olive Ridley turtles arrive at the three beaches in Chavakkad — Puthankadapuram, Blangad and Mandalamkunnu — to lay eggs. “This time, only one-third of the total turtles came.
The winter season got delayed too; usually, the temperature along the coasts drops in November and the first batch of turtles arrives to lay eggs,” he said. Olive Ridley turtles are categorised as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List and are included in Schedule-1 of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act.
Members of the fishermen community, youngsters and schoolchildren in and around Chavakkad have for decades been working towards the conservation of the turtles, leading to a rise in the number of hatchlings entering the sea.
Nesting season of the turtles usually begins in November and lasts until February. A turtle can lay about 120 eggs, which take 45-60 days to hatch. In Chavakkad beach, 80% of the laid eggs hatch successfully. “This is the first such decline in turtle footfall in a decade,” said James.