Latest news with #ManishMeena
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
‘Turtle nesting rises in Chennai as conservation efforts show results in Tamil Nadu'
Although Chennai saw Olive Ridley sea turtle deaths, huge compared to last year, situation has improved now, as the number of nests increased from 320 in 2024 to 450 this year and the number of eggs went up from 30,000 to 50,000, said Manish Meena, Wildlife Warden, Chennai Division. 'A joint patrolling with Sagar Mitras (a field-level interface between the government and coastal fishers), Fisheries department, Indian Coast Guard, Coastal Security Group of the Tamil Nadu Police was held to protect the turtles within the five nautical miles area where normal trawler fishing is prohibited. With the cooperation of the fishermen and the stakeholders, the turtles were protected. In one case, 16 live turtles were saved from a trawl boat and released back into the ocean,' he said. This was said at the event held to mark International Day of Biodiversity by Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation And Greening Project For Climate Change Response (TBGPCCR), Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board (TNBB), Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), National Biodiversity Authority and NGO Care Earth Trust on Thursday at the Amma Maaligai auditorium in Ripon Buildings complex. The theme was 'harmony with nature and sustainable development'. Migratory Bird Monitoring Trust (MBMT) managing trustee S. Balachandran emphasised on bird diversity, focussing on Central Asian Flyway and the importance of Tamil Nadu as a stopover for birds in his speech. Care Earth Trust founding-trustee R.J Ranjith Daniels said, earlier, the people of Tamil Nadu were aware of ways to live along with all living beings, despite being among the advanced civilisations during iron age. The programme also features songs of Tamil poet Subramania Bharati on natural resources and biodiveristy, a dance performance inspired by Irular community by Coimbatore-based school students and alumni and a musical performance by Kerala-based group Vayali. A press release mentioned the formation of over 13,600 Biodiversity Management Committees and the preparation of People's Biodiversity Registers in each.
The Hindu
03-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Injured Olive Ridley turtle on the mend
A badly injured Olive Ridley sea turtle that washed up on Chennai's shores is on the mend, thanks to a remarkable rescue and rehabilitation effort by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. Missing a flipper and with a severely injured hind leg, the turtle could barely move when it was found. However, after weeks of care, it's now showing encouraging signs of recovery. Manish Meena, the Wildlife Warden of Chennai, explained, 'Our team found the turtle at Uthandi on 7 April. It was injured but still alive, so we consulted with the Chief Wildlife Warden and decided to transport it to the Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary for treatment. Two of our veterinarians worked on the case.' The turtle was also severely dehydrated. After the initial care, including giving it enough hydration, the team at BMAD continued their assessment. Shravan Krishnan from BMAD said that they initially couldn't understand why the turtle wasn't eating and was regurgitating the feed. Then, led by K. Sridhar, surgeon from the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur, the team did an oral examination, and found the tip of a shiny metal object. After sedation, they assessed and found that a fishing hook had been lodged in the pharynx. 'We retrieved the object. It turned out to be a blind hook and luckily no thread was attached to it,' said Dr. Sridhar. The turtle was then taken to the Tamil Nadu Animal Veterinary Sciences (TANUVAS) for a CT scan and an endoscopy to ensure there were no remnants of the foreign object. Then, the open fracture in the right leg flipper was also treated. For turtles, front flippers are important as they help the animals to dive. But since this turtle had lost the flipper, it might be floating on the surface and when the hook was given with a live bait perhaps to lure fishes, the turtle would've ingested it, explained Dr. Sridhar. Rakesh Kumar Dogra, Chief Wildlife Warden, said that while turtles face numerous threats in the sea, it is crucial to minimise human-induced turtle fatalities near the shore. Veterinarians and Forest Department officials stressed that during the turtle nesting season, which runs from December to May every year, fishing activities should be carried out cautiously.
