Touché Turtle, with his trusty sword, from the Hanna Barbera cartoon series, used a fencing foil made of a non-conductive material to fend off enemies. Unfortunately, India's turtles have no such safety net, and are succumbing to man-made traps. According to Chiplun-based environmentalist Bhau Katdare, they could face extinction.

Bhau's brainchild, NGO Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra, is engaged in nature conservation. Starting work in the Konkan region, Bhau came across several turtle nests that had been brutally destroyed. They realised that locals had been either selling or consuming turtle eggs.

"For marine turtles, November to March is the peak nesting season. Once they come ashore and lay their eggs, fishermen harvest these eggs, and if they find a live turtle nesting, they capture and sell it," says Bhau.

Rare Species: There are seven species of marine turtles, of which five are found in the Indian Ocean. These turtles are endangered and listed on Schedule 1 of the India Wildlife Protection Act, at par with Tigers. "Turtles are very important for the marine ecosystem. They help clean and maintain the sea," explains Bhau. Every year, almost 20,000 turtles die on the shores of Orissa, thanks to fishing activities.

A Helping Hand: Bhau, a national level Kabbadi player, has devoted his life to conserving turtles. "We started with 10 villages, and have now extended our conservation programme to over 30. Our efforts have resulted in several turtle nests being protected along the coast of Maharashtra," he says.

Bhau recollects how tough it was to explain to locals, since poaching was their only means of livelihood. Bhau appointed the villagers as part of the conservation programme, thereby creating fresh job options for the villagers.

You can volunteer to protect the turtle at a workshop at Aarti Wagh High School, Paar Naka, Vasai (W).
On October 12,  from 10 am to 2 pm. Call: 9869068281