Forest department personnel, local fishermen and conservationists release 95 hatchings of endangered Olive Ridley turtles into the sea in Tonka beach of Honnavar taluk of Uttara Kannada on February 11, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

As many as 95 hatchlings of the endangered Olive Ridley turtle were released to Arabian Sea at Tonka beach of Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district on Tuesday (February 11, 2025).

According to fishermen leader Rajesh Tandel, the eggs hatched on December 24. The Forest Department, with the help of local fishermen and local conservationists, had placed a net to protect the eggs form dogs and other predators.

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Deputy Conservator of Forests, Honnavar, Manjunath Naik joined fishermen and conservationists in releasing the hatchlings. In addition to Mr. Tandel, other fishermen Bhasker Tandel, Ganapati Tandel, Sahosh Tandel, Achha Sab, Fakir Sab and staff members from the Forest Department and members of the Marine Conservation and Honnavar Foundation were also present.

Tonka beach is among beaches in Karnataka where Forest Department has been protecting turtle nesting sites. The nesting period is between December and March.

In Mangaluru, Forest department has found 14 nesting sites in Idya, Panambur, Bengre and Sasihitlu so far this season and action has been taken to protect them. Dakshina Kannada Deputy Conservator of Forests Anthony S. Mariyappa said of the 101 eggs laid in Sasihitlu on December 16, 2024, 90 hatchlings were released to the sea on February 6, 2025.

“This amounts to 94% of eggs turning into hatchlings, which shows good reflection of protection measures taken along the Mangaluru coast,” Mr. Mariyappa told The Hindu.