NAGAPATTINAM: Forest officials in Nagapattinam rescued two adult female Olive Ridley sea turtles that were entangled in abandoned fishing nets near Vilunthamavady seashore on Saturday. Forest Guard M Ayisha led the rescue operation. The ridleys were found during a routine patrol, washed ashore at Vilunthamavady beach, trapped in discarded fishing nets.
These abandoned nets, often thrown into the sea by fishermen after becoming damaged, pose a significant threat to marine wildlife. The turtles had become severely entangled while likely coming to shore to lay eggs. With assistance from local fishermen, Forest Guard Ayisha and her team worked to free both turtles from the netting. The first turtle was successfully extracted without injury and immediately released back into the sea in good health, allowing it to return to its natural habitat.
The second turtle, however, proved far more challenging to rescue. Nagapattinam Forest Range Officer Shyam Sundar said the turtle had become severely entangled and injured, with its front flipper caught in the netting, and despite the team's careful efforts, it sustained serious injuries during the extraction process. The turtle suffered facial trauma and lost its front flipper, but the rescue team managed to free the injured animal alive.
District Forest Officer K Karthikeyani said the injured turtle received initial treatment with guidance from veterinary doctors and is currently under observation. Forest officials stated that once the turtle has sufficiently recovered, it will undergo rehabilitation and training to help it adapt to life with its injury before being released back into the ocean.
Olive Ridley turtles are classified 'vulnerable species' under the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that abandoned fishing nets pose to marine wildlife, and officials are urging fishermen to properly dispose off broken nets rather than discarding them at sea, where they continue to trap and injure vulnerable sea creatures.