TRUST FOR ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION, CONSERVATION & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Turtle Walks 2006

This year MR C K SREEDHARAN I.F.S -PRINCIPLE CHIEF CONSEVATER OF FORESTS and CHIEF WILDLIFE WARDEN- and Mr ASHISH KUMAR SRIVASTAVA I.F.S. - WILDLIFE WARDEN - have been very supportive to the KAP members. One boy from the above 5 fishing communities got a registered ID card as a ”sea turtle guard” and will receive a salary for their work during the nesting season from January to March.

JANUARY

Sum January (01-31.01.2006) all villages:

Tracks - 35 , Nests - 25 , Eggs - 2636 (+ in situ) Dead Turtles - 40

FEBRUARY 2006

Sum February (01-14.02.2006) all villages:

Tracks - 36 , Nests - 24, Eggs - 2864 (+ in situ) Dead Turtles - 14

OLIVE RIDLEY SEA TURTLES are valuable to people both ecologically, as they play a very important role in the coastal biodiversity, and for the sense of wonder they awaken in us.

In most cases, people are simply unaware rather than uncaring. These turtles have evolved and survived over 200 m illions of years on this planet, but are now threatened by our actions. These AMBASSADORS OF THE OCEAN swim thousands of kilometers across the ocean from nesting to feeding grounds, and are thus good indicators of the health and wealth of the ocean. Their return to nesting beaches time and time again in sufficient numbers will speak for itself.

We believe that sea turtle conservation is a combination of nature conservation and protection of people's livelihood rights. For example, protecting the interests of the traditional fisher folks would also help greatly in conserving sea turtle population.

Marine management systems based on restri cting activities, work well only where fishing communities are the integral part of monitoring and enforcing mechanisms in conservation.

Tree foundation has understood that inhabitants of important conservation sites have to participate in conservation program itself to ensure an unhindered carry out of the conservation action plans.

An important finding is that in Nainar Kuppam, Uthandi and in Pannaiyur the nesting sites are in areas that are pitch dark and which are still with sand dunes and ipomea ground cover that are endemic to beaches . Biological studies and observations show that artificial lighting on beaches tends to deter sea turtles from emerging from the sea to nest.