Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 2.15
Comparative account of the different species of turtles distributed in Indian coastal waters
Species
Description
Distribution
Food habits
Nesting
Status
Leatherback
sea turtle
(
It is the largest of all living sea
turtles, attaining a length of
150
This species is mostly found
along the coast of Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh,
Kerala, Goa, Gujarat,
Andaman and Nicobar
Islands, Lakshadweep
They are water column
feeders and feed
especially on
coelenterates and jelly
shes
Nesting season mainly
from May to August which
takes place at night
It is included in the Red
Data Book of IUCN,
Appendix 1 of CITES and
in the Schedule 1 of
Indian Wildlife Protection
Act, 1972, which includes
species threatened by
extinction
Dermochelys
coriacea)
170 cm in straight
carapace (upper shell) length
(SCL) and weights around
500 kg (rarely 900 kg)
-
Hawksbill
(
It is the smallest of ve species,
with SCL less than 95 cm.
Adults are easily recognized by
their thick carapace scutes,
often with radiating streaks of
brown and black on a amber
background and a strongly
serrated posterior margin of the
carapace
It typically forages near rock
or reef habitats in clear
shallow tropical waters and
found mainly along the coast
of Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh, Odisha, Kerala,
Gujarat, Andaman and
Nicobar Islands and
Lakshadweep
Hatchlings are
carnivorous and the
adult omnivorous
subsisting mainly on
sponges, molluscs,
jelly
shes, seagrass
and algae
Major nesting period is
around monsoon months
and it takes place at night
hours
It is included in IUCN
Red Data Book, Appendix
1 of CITES and also in the
Schedule 1 of Indian
Wildlife Protection Act,
1972
Eretmochelys
imbricata
)
Olive Ridley
(Lepidochelys
olivacea
A large head with upper jaw
hooked, more than ve pairs of
pleural and prominent pores on
the sides of the plastron.
Presence of three distinct keels
on carapace of young and
average length of adult is 27.5
in.
This species is widely found
along the coasts of Tamil
Nadu, Andhra Pradesh,
Odisha, West Bengal, Kerala,
Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra,
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
and Lakshadweep
They feed on molluscs,
crustaceans, shes and
jelly shes
The female turtle comes
ashore above the high
water mark at night to nest
and lays about 100
It is included in Red Data
Book of IUCN, Appendix
1 of CITES and Schedule
1 of the Indian Wildlife
Protection Act, 1972
)
150
eggs and the length of the
incubation period varies
from 50
-
55 days
-
Green turtle
(Chelonia
mydas)
It is the largest hard-shelled sea
turtle. The SCL is 102.5 cm
and it weighs around 136 kg
Mostly found along the coasts
of Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra,
Gujarat, Andaman and
Nicobar Islands and
Lakshadweep
Hatchling is
carnivorous and after
about one year of age
becomes herbivorous
in nature mainly
subsisting on marine
algae and seagrass
The nesting season is
throughout the year, with
peak from May
-
September
and it takes place during
the night hours
It is included in Red Data
Book of IUCN, Appendix
1 of CITES and also in the
Schedule 1 of Indian
Wildlife Protection Act,
1972
Loggerhead
sea turtle
(
The SCL is about 92 cm and
the mean body weight is about
113 kg. The brown hatchling
weighs about 20 g, 45 mm
long
It is rare or absent from
mainland shores. More
number has been recorded in
Tamil Nadu coast especially
in Mandapam area
They mainly feed on
sponges, molluscs,
crustaceans, jelly
shes and
shes
It lays 4
5 clutches a
season, at an intervals of
12
It is included in Red Data
Book of IUCN, Appendix
1 of CITES and in the
Schedule 1 of Indian
-
Caretta
caretta
15 days and the length
of incubation period is
around 60 days
-
)
