Maravanthe beach is all set to host and study the Olive Ridley turtles

The Olive Ridley turtles have been arriving on the state’s coast for centuries. At Maravanthe, on a stretch of beach half-way between Mangalore and Karwar, in Udupi district, the turtles lay millions of eggs during August-October each year.

This year, however, the Olive Ridley turtles will not only breed on the beach but also offer their human friends a few lessons.
For a week or two, the turtles will live in a special shelter, where those interested can learn how vulnerable these creatures are, and how tender their young ones.

The Maravanthe beach is now a site where valuable education about the conservation of Olive Ridley turtles will be demonstrated. Thanks to the initiative of forest officials Rajkumar Srivastava (who is currently chief conservator of forests, Bangalore) and assistant conservator of forests, Kundapur sub-division, Manjunath Shetty, the project is all set to receive the turtles and all those interested in knowing more about these fascinating creatures.

“Srivastava earlier served in Kundapur, where he started the Maravanthe Turtle Conservation Initiative (MTCI), in 2008. A village forest committee (VFC) was formed, and NGOs too pitched in to help in the conservation effort. It worked well that year, but interest waned in 2009,” said Palaiah, deputy conservator of forests, Kundapur.

“There is great interest in these turtles, but little scope for scientific knowledge about them for the local people, many of whom already have a high degree of empathy with these creatures. The locals can be drawn into the effort to prevent poaching of the turtles. The conservation initiative is thus also an effort at education,” Manjunath Shetty said.

Shetty said that a pergola was created, with a well-laid spectator area; the forest department supported the construction of this area with a grant of Rs1.5 lakh. “The facility takes in sea water through a pump and stores it in a depression inside the pergola; this depressed area is lined with natural material like sand and rounded stones, to recreate the environment of the sea.
When the Olive Ridley turtles arrive at the beach, a few specimens will be brought to the pergola. They will lay eggs there, and demonstrate their life processes to visitors.

When it is time for adult females to return to the sea, the ones inside the pergola too will be taken back to the sea. Their eggs will be protected, and the hatchlings will also be later taken to the sea.
Nearly 2,000 turtles visit the beach each year; each female lays about 60 eggs.