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Olive Ridley in the Gulf of Khambhat.

Rescue and release of a full grown Olive Ridley in the Gulf of Khambhat

Rescue Date: 16 July 2005
Release Date: 16 July 2005

Surat has a wide and long estuarine area made by River Tapi meeting the Gulf of Khambhat. The Gulf itself is rich in marine life includig Doplhines, Whales, and a few kind of Marine Turtles and also of flora including five to six kinds of Mangroove Species. The Estuary also attracts migratory waterfowls in thousands. In recent times the area is jam packed by big industries and the web of oil and gas pipelines and heavy shipping traffic. Reliance, Shell, Essar, L&T, GSPCL, Cairn are the giants that are operating in this narrow gulf and recently there is a discovery of oil reserves after already established and functional natural gas reserve.

Amidst the tremendous industrial activities, nature has its way. Marine life come deep into this historic gulf till the tip of the gulf right till the Mahi estuary that is Geographically the heart of Gujarat state.

The fishing activity is also age old in this gulf and fishermen hail from a poor village community residing in the coastal villages. Due to the disturbances in the traditional routes of marine turtles, dolphins and whales, recently there are many instances of marine wildlife getting disoriented and getting into the hands of fishermen or getting astray deep into estuaries.

At Surat, we have been sensitizing the coastal population about the importance of these beautiful species that visit the seashores sometimes, and in such an incident, a Olive Ridley Turtle was rescued by PRAYAS WILD RESCUE due a to friendly fisherman’s information.

It had lost its way in the Tapi River estuary due to strong flow of flood waters full of silt in Tapi river and had cornered itself in the nearest village in the estuarine area of Tapi river. Local Villagers reported the incident to PRAYAS WILD RESCUE.

A small barnacle sort of life form was embedded on its back which was alive and moving inside its shell, it must be some moluscue creature finding shelter and traveling on Turtle’s back.

We immediately washed the turtle with sea-water wash. A tanker full of sea-water was brought from the estuary area far away where there is good clear sea water available. The coast to which it had taken was full of muddy water and that would have led to infections. We then put him inside a shallow tub filled with the sea-water that we had brought. We also made sure that there was no egg-laying program! It was 25 Kg and nose to tail length was 2.3 ft.

We gave some local fishermen some money and hired a boat for reaching the main channel. It was released back and was watched for a while it made a few small circles and then went straight towards the opening of the bay to main sea..! He had recovered his bearing well..!

“I am coming back home !”.