Punarjani offers a safe nesting site for Olive Ridleys

Volunteers have already released 61 hatchlings to the sea

The endangered Olive Ridley turtles now have a safe nesting site at Paravur, all thanks to Punarjani, a joint initiative of the Social Forestry wing of the Kerala Forest Department and Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS). Though the marine reptile listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List is very uncommon in the coastline of Kollam, Chillakkal and Pozhikkara beaches make an exception. Since these spots lack seawalls, the turtles come ashore to lay eggs and the project aims at providing them a secure breeding habitat. “Fishers were educated about the necessity to preserve the turtles and were also urged to inform the authorities if they spot any. We could locate a couple of nesting sites with their help and we have already released the first batch of 61 hatchlings to the sea,” says Anil Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer, Social Forestry, Kollam.