Navi Mumbai: In a significant conservation milestone, the Maharashtra Forest Department has satellite-tagged an Olive Ridley sea turtle rehabilitated on the state’s west coast for the first time. The female turtle, later named Dhaval Lakshmi, was fitted with a transmitter and released into the sea off Dahanu on 20 November by the Dahanu Forest Division and the Mangrove Cell, in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
Officials said the turtle had been rescued on 10 August after local fishermen found her entangled in a fishing net with injuries on both front flippers. She was handed over to the Turtle Treatment Centre in Dahanu, where she underwent extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation before being cleared for release.
After full recovery, experts approved her for satellite tagging — making her the first injured and rehabilitated sea turtle to be tagged on India’s west coast, the first from Palghar district, and the eighth Olive Ridley tagged along the Maharashtra coastline.
A senior forest official said, “The satellite tag will help us understand how Olive Ridleys from northern Maharashtra move and migrate, which is crucial for strengthening conservation measures along our coast.”
The transmitter is expected to provide valuable data on Dhaval Lakshmi’s movement patterns and long-distance routes in the Arabian Sea. Researchers say these insights will help further refine protection strategies for Olive Ridleys, a species known for long migratory journeys.
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