Every night, Chennai volunteers patrol the beaches to protect endangered olive ridley turtles.
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00:00Every night, these Chennai volunteers patrol the beaches to protect the nesting grounds of
00:07endangered olive ridley turtles. For nearly 40 years, Chennai residents have patrolled
00:12moonlit beaches protecting nesting sea turtles. In 2025 alone, they saved over 2,60,000 eggs.
00:18The patrols begin around midnight every day during the turtle nesting season,
00:23which runs from December to April. Threatened by predators, artificial lights,
00:27human activity and fishing nets, the survival of these turtles grows more uncertain each year.
00:32Their vulnerable status also stems from the fact that they nest in very few locations,
00:37so even a single disturbed nesting beach can have a huge impact on the entire population.
00:42In January 2025, over 1,100 dead olive ridley turtles washed ashore along the beaches of Tamil Nadu.
00:49Patrollers scan the sand for nesting turtles or tiny mounds that hide their eggs. Once located,
00:54the eggs are carefully relocated to protected hatcheries and re-buried at the same depth.
00:59A crucial step as the depth influences the sex of the hatchlings.
01:03The future of olive ridley's remains fragile, but thanks to these volunteers,
01:07hope still walks the shores of Chennai each night.