Chennai: In January 2025, over 1,100 olive ridley sea turtles washed ashore in Tamil Nadu, primarily near Chennai, likely due to illegal fishing practices that trapped the turtles, preventing them from surfacing to breathe. Each year, these turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) gather off India's coast for breeding, with 100 to 150 typically nesting on Chennai's beaches. The sudden stranding of more than 1,000 turtles was unexpected.
According to reports by The Guardian, Resident Rajiv Rai reported spotting 80 dead turtles along a stretch of beach and notified the forest department, which has been slow to bury the carcasses. Initial necropsies indicated lung lesions and bulging eyes, leading environmental activist Yuvan Aves to suggest that the turtles suffocated or drowned.
The cause of the mass deaths remains unclear, but experts speculate that male and female turtles may have congregated near nesting sites and could have become entangled in fishing nets, leading to drowning.
It is often noted that the commercial fishing vessels often ignore local laws, such as the ban on trawlers within five nautical miles of the shore and the requirement for turtle excluder devices.
Following media coverage, the Tamil Nadu government captured 24 illegal trawlers and formed a task force for monitoring.
Wildlife warden Manish Meena stated that night patrols are being intensified to safeguard hatchlings. The tragedy underscores concerns for a species that, after conservation efforts, has only partially recovered. Aves described the incident as profoundly overwhelming, with bulging turtles visible along the coast.
