A True Story of Sea Turtles

Ladies and gentlemen, I am the voice of a majestic tiger, a creature that has roamed the dense jungles and grasslands for centuries. The way I live is crucial to maintaining the balance of nature. As a top predator, I interact with my ecosystem by controlling herbivore populations, which in turn helps maintain the health of the entire forest.

However, humans have not always interacted with us fairly. The illegal wildlife trade and habitat destruction have pushed us to the brink of extinction. It is neither necessary nor desirable to exploit us for profit.

The consequences of our decline are dire. Without tigers, ecosystems falter, leading to cascading effects that harm the entire living world. As I prepare to bid farewell to this world, I hope humans will reconsider their actions and work to ensure that future generations can still hear the roar of the wild. Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to speak on behalf of the Barbary macaque, a remarkable primate that calls the Atlas Mountains home. Our lives are intimately connected with the mountainous terrain, where we forage for food and raise our families. We are an essential part of the ecosystem, dispersing seeds and maintaining biodiversity.

However, human interactions with our species have not always been fair. Capture for the exotic pet trade and habitat destruction have threatened our existence. These actions not only harm us but also disrupt the fragile balance of our habitat.

As the Barbary macaque faces the possibility of bidding farewell to this world, it is crucial for humanity to recognise the significance of our presence in these mountains and strive for coexistence that benefits both us and the natural world.

The dhole, or Asiatic wild dog, thrives in close-knit packs, displaying intricate social bonds and cooperative hunting. However, human-driven habitat loss and persecution have imperiled our future. Deforestation and encroachment into our territories have dramatically reduced our habitat, and conflict with humans and their livestock has led to our persecution. These actions have far-reaching consequences, as dholes play a vital role in ecosystem balance by controlling prey populations.

Regrettably, the dhole faces imminent farewell. It is neither fair nor necessary for humans to continue these destructive practices. Our extinction would disrupt ecosystems, leading to prey overpopulation and habitat degradation. Let us strive to ensure the dhole’s survival and the preservation of our planet’s biodiversity.

Ladies and gentlemen, the blue whale, Earth’s largest and most magnificent inhabitant, lives as a gentle giant of the oceans. Its life revolves around the vastness of the deep blue, where it filters tons of tiny krill through baleen plates, a peaceful interaction with its surroundings.

Despite its gentle nature, humans have historically hunted these colossal creatures for their blubber and oil. This exploitation, though once seen as necessary, has pushed the blue whale to the brink of farewell. Such actions disrupt marine ecosystems, impacting not just this majestic species, but the entire underwater world.

Now, the blue whale prepares to bid farewell, a poignant reminder of the consequences of our actions. It is time to protect and cherish these giants of the deep, recognising their vital role in the health of our oceans.

Humans need to use natural resources because they are essential for our daily lives. We rely on resources like water, air, trees, and minerals for many things. We need trees for wood to build houses and paper for books. We need water to drink, cook, and grow our food. Air is vital for breathing, and minerals make the things we use, like phones and cars.

However, the problem is that we use too many resources, more than the Earth can replace. This can harm the environment and other living creatures. We should be careful and use resources wisely, recycle, and find ways to use less. If we don’t, we might run out of these resources, and it could hurt our planet and future generations. So, it is important to use natural resources, but also to protect them and use them responsibly.

No, we should not conserve only the most beautiful and most useful things in nature. Biodiversity is essential for the health of our planet. Every species, whether beautiful or not, plays a role in the ecosystem. Some less glamorous creatures, like insects or certain plants, are vital for pollination, soil health, and food chains.

Conservation should be about preserving all forms of life, not just the ones we find aesthetically pleasing or directly useful. Basing conservation solely on beauty or utility can lead to the loss of critical species and disrupt ecosystems. Moreover, what we find beautiful or useful may change over time, so it is essential to protect all aspects of nature to maintain the balance of our environment and ensure the well-being of future generations.

‘Beautiful’ and ‘useful’ can mean different things to different people and cultures. No one person or group should decide what is beautiful or useful in nature. Many different kinds of people, like scientists, indigenous groups, and regular folks, should take part in decisions about protecting nature. We need to think about both science and what different cultures value. This helps us take better care of the Earth’s diversity, understanding that beauty and usefulness can vary for everyone.

The volunteers had never come across turtle eggs in their walks along the beaches of Konkan in all the years. This was an unusual occurrence.

The turtle eggs were seen on the beach after it had been sealed to the public because the egg hunters could no longer come and steal the eggs. The implications were that the turtle eggs were protected, as people did not have access to them because the beach had been sealed.

Turtles have been protected in India because they are endangered due to the ruthless practice of killing the turtles and stealing their eggs to eat or sell them in the market.

The people were asked to look for the eggs or nests in the morning, so that they could safeguard the eggs and protect them from the egg hunters, who usually came in the mornings looking for eggs on the beach.

The fact that the elderly people had seen the hatchlings for the first time indicates that the eggs had been stolen for so many years and to such an extent that they never survived long enough to hatch.

It was necessary to undertake turtle protection on a large scale because their survival rate was as low as one or two out of a thousand. Also, they occupy an important place in marine ecology as they help keep the sea clean. Thus, it was important to curb the stealing of their eggs and give them a fair chance of survival.

The people who had stolen the eggs earlier were now involved in the work of protection because their occupation of stealing the eggs was no longer an option, and also because they were experienced in looking for turtle eggs.

‘Homestay’ families provide accommodation to the tourists who visit the village during the Turtle Festival. They all offer the same rate for the facilities offered and give ten percent of their income to the Turtle Protection Fund.

The project was entrusted to the local people because the members of the Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra organisation believed that it is only the local villagers who can ultimately offer excellent protection to the local species.

Sea turtles are water animals that nest along the coastline. Turtles perform an important function in marine ecology, as they help keep the sea clean. There are seven types of sea turtles in the world, five of which are found in India. The Olive Ridley, Green turtles and Hawksbills are found along the Maharashtrian coastline. When the female turtle reaches maturity at the age of fifteen years, she comes out of the water and builds a shallow nest to lay her eggs in, and then leaves, never to come back. There are at least a hundred to a hundred and fifty eggs in one nest. The eggs hatch after a period of forty-five to fifty days, using the natural heat and warmth of the sun and the sand. After hatching, these hatchlings rush to the water to reach their homes in the sea. The sea is dangerous for these young turtles, and they have to brave it all alone. Therefore, their survival rate is very low, and only one or two turtles survive out of thousands. Recently, their species have become endangered, since the eggs are often stolen and then eaten or sold in the market. Thus, it has become imperative to protect these turtles on a large scale, all around the world.

Poster contents: Pictures of sea turtles and their habitat; information about turtle nests and eggs; a picture and information about a ‘protected nest’; an appeal to the public to spread awareness about their conservation; and data on the achievements so far.

Sample poster content — “Protection of Turtles”: Sea turtles help to keep the ocean clean and hence are a major part of the marine ecology. It is very important to save them from extinction. Please share this information with friends and acquaintances to protect sea turtles. A female turtle comes out of the water to the beach at night and makes a nest by digging with her flippers and rotating her body. Then she creates a cavity in which she lays eggs. An average clutch has a range of 80 to 120 eggs, depending upon the species. A nest cage should be constructed with wire fencing material with openings of 1 inch by 3 inches. The nest cage should be placed over the nest. This prevents any harm to the eggs. The openings should be large enough for the hatchlings to easily crawl out of the cage. The Sahyadri Nisarg Mandal successfully released 7,610 hatchlings between 2002 and 2006.

The idea of ‘Conservation of Nature through Livelihood’ explains that nature must be conserved, and this can be done along with building livelihood. The villagers of Velas have become part of the ‘Turtle Friends Club’. They have ‘homestay’ facilities at their houses, so that tourists who come to take part in the Turtle Festival can lodge there. Through this, they earn a handsome income. Because of this, the villagers have realised that tourism can be a major source of income for them. Many tourists come to watch the turtle hatchlings rush into the flowing water, and this acts as an incentive for the villagers to protect the turtle eggs. Also, ten percent of the income which the villagers receive is given to the Turtle Protection Fund. This is how the idea of ‘Conservation of Nature through Livelihood’ works. Thus, in exchange for income, the people protect nature, and both co-exist in harmony.

There is a ruined fort built by the ancestors of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, which has the prominent features of Maratha architecture. With proper renovation and cleaning, it can be opened for the public. A botanical garden, in which plants and trees are grown only with organic seeds and fertilisers, can be made a source of knowledge for people about eco-friendly products, and about things that are helpful or harmful to the environment. A restaurant built like a palace, serving Indian cuisine and treating its customers in a royal way, can also be used as a major tourist attraction if supported with marketing and advertisement.

Natural resources are a gift from nature. They are categorised into renewable and non-renewable resources. Non-renewable resources include oil, minerals, and soil. Since non-renewable resources take years to replenish, their judicious use is necessary. Over-usage of any resource is harmful to the environment. Things that are reusable and can be recycled must be kept and re-used.

Main clause: There are a few people in every village.

Main clause: she leaves behind a trail just like the tracks of wheels on the sand.

Main clause: The egg hunters follow this trail right up to the nest.