The turtle was caught in a fishing net. Olive Ridley is listed as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature
Screengrab of the video. Twitter @ChennaiCustoms
Fishing nets and plastic pollution have been the bane of existence for several marine species, who often lose their lives due to these things. These creatures often try to escape fishing nets and plastic debris in the high seas, but end up injured or dead.
A recent video of a turtle being rescued from a fishing net by Chennai Customs Department officials has gone viral online and gained much appreciation from social media users. The team rescued an Olive Ridley turtle which was entangled in a net on 30 January, as per their statement.
The video of the incident was shared by the official account of the Customs Zone, Chennai.
The 1.16-minute video shows a struggling Olive Ridley turtle being fished out of the sea by Customs Department officials. On being brought into the boat, the officials realise that the turtle is entangled with a fishing net. The team cuts the net surrounding the creature and releases it back into the sea.
Watch the clip here:
The video has received over 1.6 lakh views till date. Several users praised the Chennai Customs Department for rescuing the turtle during their patrolling operation, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who called the clip “heartwarming”.
Others wrote that an awareness campaign for fishermen must be organised so that they can understand the harmful effects of the nets they use. People also suggested that more research be done on sustainable fishing in the country.
Several users praised the care shown by the Customs team towards the marine animal.
Olive Ridley turtles are classified as ‘Vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These marine creatures have declined by 30 to 50 percent in population according to data by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Some of the major threats to their population include global warming, increased demand for turtle meat and eggs, plastic pollution, and bycatch in fishing gear.
In India, three mass nesting sites of these turtles are present in Odisha and one in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
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