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        An unstoppable journey for nesting, which has been carrying on for over millions of year now by Olive Ridley turtles on the shores of Orissa, Chennai and some other parts of the country, has begun. The nesting season follows the North-East monsoon and falls between the months of December and March.

        Among the most primitive living species, these turtles owe their name to the olive colour of their heart-shaped shells. A protected species in India, they are the smallest of sea turtles, weighing 50 kg (110 lb) each and measuring about 60 to 70cm (1.9 - 2.3 feet).

        They come to the shore at night during high tide, dig cavities about 46cm deep, lay around 120 eggs each and cover the nest with sand.

        As in many population of sea turtles the worldover, various human- related activities have adversely affected the olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) on the Chennai coast.

        Collection of eggs is the key problem and is linked to the socio-economics of the coastal fishing villages, who in the face of various problems turn to poaching as an alternative source of income. Other threats, including habitat destruction, beach lighting, and pollution result from urbanisation along the coast have drastically affected the nesting of these turtles.

        And with this onset of nesting starts the work of people like Arun and Adith of Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network (SSTCN), a voluntary organisation run primarily by students for the conservation of turtles. The two are into saving these turtle for the past many years.

        Arun, one of the key members actively involved in the conservation speaking to News Today, said, 'these sea turtles are primarily affected by fishing activity along the coast. Rather than traditional fishermen, it is the trawlers that cause all the harm.'

        Olive Ridley turtles come ashore every 40 minutes to breathe and get caught in the trawling nets. As these trawlers drag the nets for several kilometres, the turtles drown and die.

        Fishermen are also known to kill these turtles because they get entangled in their nets and damage them. Many turtles are killed when they get trapped in trawler nets.

        Arun said there has been active participation by students, children, environmental lovers and the villagers at large. He said people have understood the need for the conservation of these turtles over the year and there has been subsequent reduction of poaching and damage to their nesting.

        He said that as part of creating more awareness night walking exercise has been carried out from Nellankarai beach to Beasant Nagar beach between midnight and 4 am.

        'The death toll peaks during the nesting season because these turtles migrate from distant places like Australia and mate next to the coast.'

        Turtle nests are also threatened by high tides or storms and natural predators. But human threat is the most critical. Sea turtles, especially the hatchlings, are drawn towards the brighter horizon,' says Adhith.

        'The hatchling are genetically programmed to move towards a bright light source. And it used to be the reflecting sea waters. But now, they move towards the sodium and mercury lamps on the roads, only to perish, he added.

        While sea would normally be the brighter horizon, artificial lighting along the coast misleads hatchlings and adult turtles into going towards the road, where they get eaten by dogs or dehydrate and die, says Adith.

        Human encroachment on the beach has forced these turtles to nest in the weeds or within the high tide line.

        Arun said that requests had been made to the wildlife warden to consider switching off lamps on the beach side between 11 pm and 4 am during the hatching weeks.

        Talking about tsunami and the conservation of turtles, he said, 'In the aftermath of the tsunami, we did not see a dead turtle. Fear following the tsunami had kept trawlers away from the turtle corridor, which had helped in reducing the number of turtles killed.

        Expressing concern over the carcasses of turtles floating ashore at various beaches along the Tamilnadu coast in recent months, he said it indicates the several problems posed in conservation,

        He was of the opinion that if the laws were not strictly followed the conservation would become a serious issue.

        The organisation is conducting conservation programme on the Chennai coast since 1988. As part of conservation the eggs are collected by patrolling on foot every night during the nesting season. The eggs are collected and relocated in a hatchery on the beach, simulating natural conditions as far as possible. Hatchlings were released immediately after emergence at the high tide line.

        The turtle hatchery at a dark patch of Theosophical Society beach now has about 4 to 5 relocated nests. The walk is open to public on Friday and Saturday. For further details contact Arun 24901019, Adith 9884053853.