Nesting period for Olive Ridley extended

CHENNAI: That the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle nesting season along the Chennai coast has been dull this year has been reported in these pages. But in what could bring some cheer to the volunteer conservationists who watch over the turtle nests in and around the city, the nesting season seems to be extending beyond its usual period. This has given rise to the hope that nesting this year could catch up to usual levels.The Ridley nesting season, which usually lasts from mid-December to the end of February, is still underway, say conservationists. The nesting season has been dull so far this year. While the reasons for this remain unclear, scientists and conservationists believe it could be due to a disruption in nesting patters caused by Cyclone Thane.“By this time last year, nesting had stopped completely. This year, nesting has been significantly lower. But our volunteers are finding nests even now,” says Akila, co-ordinator of the Students’ Sea Turtle Conservation Network (SSTCN). “With this extension in the season, we are hoping there will be a large amount of catching up in terms of the total number of nests,” she adds.Last year was an above average nesting season. A total of 185 nests were found on the stretch from Napier’s Bridge to Neelangarai, which is manned by SSTCN volunteers. This year, only 108 nests have been recorded on this stretch. While the extended turnout of the Ridleys has been good news to a sagging season, there still remains cause for concern. And these are questions that cannot be answered now, according to Akila. “We are still worried over what has happened to these turtles. We believe the slow season could be because of Cyclone Thane. But if something else has happened to these turtles, we will only find out next year,” she says. For now, fingers remain crossed.