TRUST FOR ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION, CONSERVATION & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Albino Green Turtle Dead

We were doing the routine night walk for the protection of the Olive Ridley Turtles on the February 16 th night with the Injambakkam Kuppam, Kadal Aamai Padhukavalargall. In the dark, we suddenly saw something in the form of a Turtle , since it did not move, we used the flash light , we were surprised to see that the abnormally large form was a dead Green Turtle (larger than the average Olive Ridley Turtle).

The Green Turtles usually are found only in the Gulf Of Mannar region and the sea of Andaman Nicobar Islands. It was indeed a very rare sight to see an albino green turtle, but sad too as the Turtle was wounded with a big open gash on the back, on the carapace and dead.

M Maran – KAP member of Injambakkam, said that it would have been hit by a propeller. Usually turtles come and swim under the anchored launch's, so this one must have been resting or swimming under a trawl boat when the engine would have been started suddenly. It looked so beautiful and white, with a tinge of very light green on the neck and in small areas of the flippers, a beautiful specimen. The carapace had the proper markings of the Green turtle with light strokes of brown in the 4 costal scutes. The plastron was completely pure white normally it would be light yellowish in colour .The green turtles do not frequent the waters of the Chennai coast, but this one got washed ashore at Injambakkam.

Mr C K Sreedharan , PCCF and Chief Wild Life Wardens talk to the fishermen on the 8th of January, on the importance and role of the Turtles in the Marine bio diversity, strengthened the community conservation of the Olive Ridley by TREE Foundation's Kadal Aamai Padhukavalargall Youth Mr Ashish Kumar Srivastava. Wildlife Wardens visits to the villages and encouraging words gave a boost to the morale of the KAP in all the villages.

Persons Present – M Maran (KAP), M Raghu (KAP), Dr Supraja Dharini and T Raja (volunteer of Tree Foundation)

- Dr Supraja Dharini

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