Lucky few

Lucky few
Originally uploaded by Pandiyan

Newly hatched Olive Ridley Turtles being released to the sea. They literally run a gauntlet before they reach adulthood. Not many survive.

Chennai is one of the few beaches Olive Ridley turtles like. They come every year. Though the mass nestings don't happen in Chennai (Orissa in India sees it every few years) the Turtle Walkers in Chennai see about 100 nests every year.

These people patrol the beaches in the night, pick up the eggs, keep them safely in a hatchery and release the young ones into the sea.

It is said that the females come to the same beach every time they lay eggs. The fast-growing city with posh seafront properties (many of them illegal as per Indian Law) and powerful fishing trawlers (which need to have a Turtle Excluder Device but don't) is seeing fewer numbers of nests every year.

Turtle Walkers gamely carry on. Interestingly many are young students. Perhaps turtles will survive.

Uploaded by Pandiyan on 14 May 08, 11.24PM IST.

River Terrapin

River Terrapin
Originally uploaded by Pandiyan.

River Terrapin
Batagur baska

Among the largest of Asian river turtles, it is also the most endangered of all. This can grow upto 60 cms in length. Some places it is called Mangrove Terrapin as mangroves are the favourite haunt of these creatures.

Funny thing with Asian Turtles is that more they become rare, more they go up in value making survival even more difficult. Many fareastern societies use them in tradition medicine and these terrapins especially are a gourmet item fit for a king. In consolation it is also called the Royal Terrapin.

Peculiar features of this turtle include an upturned snout (which I have managed to catch) and four toes against five for other turtles (which I could not catch.)

Critically endangered in Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and India; extinct in the wild in Thailand; presumed extinct in Myanmar and Vietnam. Main threats include diappearing mangroves, hunting for meat and eggs, indiscriminate fishing, loss of nesting beaches and so on.

Though there are efforts under way to revive the species, they are continuing to decline. For this species and many others, China and Hong Kong proves to be huge market where these species are not found at all. The turtle trade route from China extends all over Asia reaching all poorer and smaller nations and turtle trade flourishes regardless of restrictions.