KARWAR : The Karwar division, which is the first in the state to start coastal and marine ecosystem cells to ensure protection of marine species, has now proposed to start a rescue and rehabilitation centre for olive ridley sea turtles and also tap tourism potential through this.
The centre will be coming up near the tree park at Kodi Bhag near Karwar. It will be constructed at a cost of Rs 4 crore under K Shore scheme and will be funded by the World Bank. A DPR is being prepared and the work is likely to begin by December 2024.
An interpretation centre pertaining to marine turtles will also come up here. The centre, to be constructed away from the CRZ ambit, will also have a study centre. A veterinarian will also be stationed here who will treat the turtles that come injured due to attack by whales and other predators.
So far, the Forest Department would rescue the olive ridley sea turtles caught in the nets of fishermen or that were washed away due to attack by predators. They would protect the turtle’s eggs taken from the nests by means of ex-situ or in-situ conservation. But for the first time the department is planning to set up a rescue and rehabilitation centre near Karwar, where the rescued marine creatures would be brought and cared for until they are released into the sea.
This, according to the staff in Karwar, is also aimed at drawing more tourists by showing marine life like turtles and dolphins to the visitors, which are sighted frequently.
“This primarily focuses on olive ridley turtle conservation -- turtles protected under Schedule 1 of Wildlife Protection Act. There were days when the eggs of these turtles were considered to be nutritious and were in high demand. It was not only hunted by human beings, but even by predators like dogs and jackals.
The centre here will have an information centre where details about the turtles and its rarity, the threat associated with them and so on will be displayed. We are planning to draw more tourists who can come and educate themselves and take interest in the conservation of the turtles,” DCF, Karwar C Ravishankar told TNIE.
The centre, besides protecting, rescuing and conserving the turtles, will share information about other species like dolphins, sharks and porpoises. Three types of sea turtles — olive ridley turtles, green turtles and hawksbill turtles — have been sighted frequently in and around Karwar. There are several nesting sites of olive ridley turtles in the district. However, no nesting places of the other two turtles have been found so far.