Why Are Olive Ridley Turtles Dying?

A crisis of conservation & overfishing

- S V Krishna Chaitanya @Chennai

Over 3,000 turtles died in Andhra Pradesh and the toll in Chennai crossed 1,200. Yet, the governments are reluctant to enforce the norms. The National Green Tribunal is pushing both states to take action, while the Union government has decided to make Turtle Excluder Devices mandatory for all the trawlers in the country.

The Olive Ridley turtle, a species revered for its unique mass nesting phenomenon known as arribada, is facing a grave threat along India's east coast. Despite being protected under Schedule 1 of India's Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 – a status that places it on par with the tiger – the species is increasingly falling victim to human activities, particularly mechanised fishing practices. This year, thousands of turtles are washing ashore dead, their lifeless bodies bearing the scars of a relentless battle against unsustainable fishing and habitat destruction.