CHENNAI: Two green turtles, which were found stranded on the beaches of Chennai, were rehabilitated and released back into the sea by the marine biodiversity conservation group TREE (Trust for Environment Education, Conservation and Community development) foundation, on Saturday morning.
As per the rules of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, green turtles are classified as endangered species.
Alisha, a sub-adult, was rescued from the Marina Beach in February last year. A plastic water pouch was found in the intestine, which caused a blockage in her digestive system. She was also diagnosed with osteomyelitis, a degenerative bone condition. She was treated and gradually stabilised. The other turtle Parina, a juvenile, was found in a dehydrated and very poor condition on the Neelankarai beach on February this year.
Says Supraja Dharini, chairperson of TREE Foundation, “Parina was entangled in a discarded or ‘ghost’ fishing net, which is the prime cause of marine species being threatened. The old fishing nets should be removed from the sea.”
The two turtles were then treated and rehabilitated so as to improve their strength. On Saturday,around 11 am, the two turtles were released into the sea off the coast of Neelankarai on the East Coast Road.
TREE Foundation’s Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre at Neelankarai is run with special permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden, Tamil Nadu. It is the only dedicated rescue and rehabilitation centre for sea turtles in Tamil Nadu.