Conservationists, researchers express apprehensions on ‘turtle trails’ announced in Union Budget

The Union Budget’s proposal to develop ‘turtle trails’ along key nesting sites in the coastal areas of Odisha, Karnataka and Kerala has triggered sharp scepticism and concern among conservationists and researchers, who argue that mass nesting sites should be kept free from anthropogenic pressure.

Mass nesting or arribada of endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles is a rare phenomenon, which is recorded only along India and Costa Rica and some handful of beaches in the world. Odisha is home to the world’s largest mass nesting ground for Olive Ridley turtles.

Odisha has two mass nesting grounds — Gahirmatha in Kendrapara district and Rushikulya mouth in Ganjam district. No outsider is allowed to visit Gahirmatha as it comes in the proximity of Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, India’s missile testing centre.

Rushikulya used to be visited by a huge number of wildlife enthusiasts. However, the mass nesting was observed to be disturbed by visitors, and the State Forest and Environment Department brought some restrictions on the number of visitors who were allowed to see the mass nesting from a distance.

A record seven lakh Olive Ridley turtles had laid eggs in the Rushikulya rookery during the eight days of mass nesting in February last year.

“Under no circumstances, neither people nor light should go to mass nesting sites. There is no ambiguity in the approach. Though I don’t know details about turtle trails, it appears that there would be some sort of construction on the beach, which may be temporary, to facilitate visitors,” said B. C. Choudhary, a leading researcher of Olive Ridley turtles.

Dr. Choudhary said, “Mass nesting sites should be strictly ‘no-go’ zone. Nowhere in the world where mass nesting takes place, either photography is allowed or visitators permitted to take flash lights along with them.”

‘Ecotourism causes harm’

Biswajit Mohanty, a wildlife activist who has been working on Olive Ridley turtles for four decades, said: “There has been ample evidence that ecotourism causes harm to nature. In Chilika Lake, large number of tourists in mechanised boats venture into the lake in search of endangered Irrawaddy dolphins. The ecotourism has gone out of control. Habitat of dolphins is now disturbed.”

“The mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles is highly sensitive. Turtles get distracted by lights. If a turtle trail through which ecotourism will be permitted is allowed, it would tamper tranquility and alter conditions suitable for mass nesting,” Mr. Mohanty said.

“Very limited numbers of tourists should be allowed under stringent conditions that nesting grounds are not disturbed,” he further said.

“Mass nesting sites are highly sensitive places. Providing access to these sites required a lot of consultations. However, I have not come across any consultations on the subject before its announcement in Budget 2026-27,” he pointed out.

Mr. Mohanty pointed out that rather than coming up with a ‘turtle trail’, which sounds like a tourism idea, the government should have announced measures to strengthen conservation efforts.

According to him, speed boats, which were procured to enforce fishing prohibition during mating of turtles were lying defunct. “The efforts of the government should have been to put in place a robust enforcement mechanism instead of turning the site into a ecotourism hotspot,” he said.

When contacted, Chief Wildlife Warden P.K. Jha refused to comment on the issue.