Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

Ever wondered what happens once the turtle lays the eggs in her nest? Meet the volunteers at Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network (SSTCN) in Chennai, who sacrifice their sleep, time with a smile, for the love of Olive Ridley turtles.

Ramanathapuram forest range officer S Sathish has worked for over five years to mitigate poaching, saving the Olive Ridley Turtle, carrying out underwater plastic waste clean ups, and more to protect the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park in Tamil Nadu.

Cited as the world's largest rookery of the critically endangered species, the tranquil beach of Gahirmatha is a vital mating and nesting site for the turtles.

Olive Ridley Turtles come back year after year to the place of their birth on the beaches of Odisha, to mate in the waters along the shore and lay their eggs in sandy nests. Conservationists and scientists are now educating the locals to help protect these endangered marine reptiles.