In a complete turnaround, Tamil Nadu’s turtle nesting season, which started distressingly in December with more than 1,100 turtle carcasses washing ashore along the Chennai coast, has now seen an all-time high. Wildlife officials collected an unprecedented 113,933 eggs and released 106,595 hatchlings into the sea in Cuddalore — the highest figures recorded in the state over the past five years.This was followed closely by the Chennai wildlife division, which collected 65,649 eggs and released 54,917 hatchlings into the sea. Forest Secretary Supriya Sahu says hatcheries in eight of the nine districts have completed operations for the season, with the final hatchery in Chennai expected to close by the first week of June.“The increased enforcement of fishing regulations contributed to reducing turtle fatalities. The govt is now considering distributing turtle excluder devices to fishermen to ensure sustainable fishing,” says Supriya. To safeguard the vulnerable olive ridleys, wildlife and fisheries officials also launched joint coastal patrols to monitor fishing activities, which led to the rescue of several live turtles caught in nets and penalties for violators.During the critical nesting period, the Tamil Nadu forest department established 53 hatcheries in nine coastal districts, sheltered from predators and human interference. “We launched a Tamil Nadu Turtle Guardian app that allowed real-time monitoring of egg collection, hatching, and hatchling releases. It enhanced coordination among volunteers and officials,” says Supriya.The forest department, in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India, has also initiated telemetry studies to track the turtles’ migratory patterns and pinpoint key nesting sites. “These studies are complemented by habitat restoration projects, including mangrove mapping and seagrass regeneration, aimed at improving the coastal ecosystem,” says Supriya.Email your feedback with your name and address to southpole.toi@timesofindia.com.