Kochi: While most young people go to the beach for recreation, strolling on the sands of the beaches of Chavakkad in Thrissur district has a purpose for students of the Edakazhiyur Seethi Sahib Memorial Higher Secondary School.
On a mission to save the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle, a group of 50 students is working to help incubate its eggs along the coast with an environment conservation organisation, ‘Green Habitat. ’
“The turtle which has survived millions of years is now facing threat of extinction mainly due to poaching and lack of hatcheries. The students are helping us in the mission to save them,” says N.J. James, Executive Director of Green Habitat.
As the turtles nest between December and March, the activists expect to see at least 500 eggs hatch along the Chavakkad coastline alone.
“During this season we walk through the beaches on occasional nights looking for the eggs which we collect and relocate to a safe place. When the turtle hatchlings emerge 45 days later, we release them safely into the sea.
The turtle nests can be found in Chavakkad, Blangad, Panchavadi and Edakazhiyur beaches,” says a student Salim,who is from Panchavad, adding, “The beach belongs to turtles as well and we owe it to them to ensure that their nests are safe.”
While the number of turtles coming to the region to lay eggs has decreased following the 2004 tsunami, the main threats to them today are from poaching, beach erosion, navigational inlets, artificial lighting and construction activity on the beaches.
Besides doing their bit, the students and Green Habitat have also come up with a programme called ‘turtle walk, ’ which involves the local community in protecting the nesting spots of the turtles on the beaches.
As most of the students are children of fishermen, the school hopes they will carry the lessons in conservation they are learning to the rest of the community and will continue acting for conservation of the critically endangered sea turtles as adults.
Impressed by their effort, the forest department has come forward to support the young conservationists. “We are ourselves launching a conservation programme across beaches of the state, particularly the Chavakkad region this year.
We’ve deployed a team led by the Assistant Conservator of Forests to train the local voluntary activists on how to collect the eggs and hatch them,” reveals Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Dr B.S. Corrie .
