Turtle Laying in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The Andaman and Nicobar archipelago is carefully placed in the Bay of Bengal. This island group is located to the south east of the Indian mainland. Nature has showered immense wealth of natural beauty on them. Incredible islands, blissful beaches, fantastic fauna, fabulous flora and magnificent marine life make these islands exquisite and unique on the globe. Turtle laying is another unique feature of these islands. In these twin islands four species of marine turtles occur- the leatherback, green, olive ridley turtle and hawksbill.

Historically, sea turtles in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have always been mentioned in connection with the aboriginal people of the islands. Turtle breeding season runs from November to March. They want a calm environment with perfect temperature of about 29 degree Celsius for laying eggs. Turtle laying in Andaman and Nicobar Islands has significantly enhanced during all these years. The account below cites more information on the same.

Turtle Laying Sites in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Surveys and studies executed in Andaman and Nicobar Islands have confirmed India's best nesting beaches for three species of marine turtles - leatherback, hawksbill and green turtles. The leatherback and hawksbill populace in this island group are the leading in India and are most imperative for the northern Indian Ocean. Green turtles have more than eighty nesting beaches in the Andamans. Throughout the twin islands the green turtle is the most common and widespread species. These islands have the unsurpassed nesting sites for Hawksbill turtles as they favor petite isolated beaches. Though olive ridleys nest frequently on mainland beaches, there are more than ten nesting sites along east coast of the Andamans. Corbyn's Cove beach is one of the crucial turtle laying site. Karmatang Beach is a turtle laying ground where you can see nesting of turtles during December-February season.

Importance of Turtle Laying in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Maintenance of marine turtles has been supported by the 1978 notification which declared 94 islands of the Andamans as sanctuaries. Management plans has been laid out with complementary guidelines and security forces are posted in some vital areas. Habitual monitoring and patrolling becomes very difficult because maximum islands are in the sticks and logistics need great effort. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands Environmental Team (ANET), a division of the Center for Herpatology at the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust has been operational at several sites in the islands since 1978. It has conducted several surveys and studies that have significantly contributed to the knowledge of marine turtles in the islands at present. In 2000-01, ANET initiated a monitoring program at Galathea on Great Nicobar Island. The project continued till tsunami (2004). Since then, scrutinizing has commenced at South Bay on Little Andaman Islands by ANET and the Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science.

Turtle laying in Andaman and Nicobar islands has great importance. Also known as turtle nesting, this process needs great skill, experience, dedication and time. They have faced the threats of sand mining, depradation of eggs, incidental catch and consumed as meat and eggs by native people. It's high time to conserve them. Turtle nesting in Andaman and Nicobar islands is religiously doing the same.