ALAPPUZHA: The Union budget presented on Sunday proposed the creation of "turtle trails" along the Kerala coast, a move that has become a subject of widespread trolling and debate over the past two days. With this proposal, however, the protection of sea turtles has once again emerged as a hot topic and is expected to draw responses from both the state and central governments. And central to those discussions is funding for conservation efforts.
The Alappuzha coast, stretching from Thottappally to Pallana, is a major nesting ground for sea turtles in south Kerala. Several species of turtles, including the Olive Ridley, arrive along this coast to lay eggs during the November-March period. Non-governmental organisations and the Kerala forest department have been implementing turtle conservation projects along the Alappuzha coastline for the past 14 years.
Greenroots, a nature conservation group, has been actively involved in the efforts. According to Saji Jayamohan, secretary of Greenroots, their volunteers have been working continually to protect turtles and their eggs. Since turtles lay eggs on sandy beaches, the eggs face several threats from predators. Dogs and birds often feed on them. In some cases, humans also become predators. Local residents and fishermen trace nesting sites and collect turtle eggs for consumption, which remains the biggest threat to the species. Foxes and the Indian grey mongoose also prey on turtle eggs.
In previous years, turtle eggs have been found along the Thottappally, Pallana, Punnapra, Mararikulam and Arthunkal coasts of the district. Volunteers identify nesting sites by tracking turtle movement marks on the beach and protect the eggs by relocating them to temporary hatcheries. After around 48 days of incubation, the eggs hatch and the hatchlings are released into the sea.
"We carry out these activities with the support of the forest department, but there is no dedicated fund allocation. Members of our group collect money themselves to construct hatcheries and protect the turtles," Saji said.
He added that while the budget announcement has become a topic of discussion, there is little assurance of an effective protection of turtles. The budget also proposes mining and tourism activities along turtle nesting areas, which could lead to the destruction of nesting sites. Additionally, mining poses a serious threat, with the Thottappally coast having already shrunk considerably.
For several years, activists have been agitating against mining there but indiscriminate activity continues.
"As a result, there is a strong possibility that turtles may stop arriving to lay eggs along this coast. Normally, the turtle lays eggs only at the place where it had nested in previous years. Such man-made and ecological disasters are creating a severe crisis for turtle nesting along the Kerala coast," Saji said.
The Olive Ridley turtle, deemed a vulnerable species, arrives regularly along the Thottappally coast. Two years ago, Greenroots volunteers protected around 500 turtle eggs.