Several hundreds of Olive Ridley turtles have been washed ashore dead along Chennai's coastline for the past few days, causing concern to environmentalists.

The carcasses of at least 60 turtles were found on Kovalam beach.

As per a preliminary estimate, about 500 turtles were found dead from Neelankarai to Uthandi and Alamparaikuppam, and around 400 between Marina and Besant Nagar beaches.

"At least over 1,000 turtles have been washed ashore dead since the past few days and this is very disturbing," a forest department official said.

Though the exact cause of death was being probed, it was suspected that trawl nets used by some fishing vessels could have caused their deaths.

The state fisheries department has initiated steps to monitor the operation of trawlers in Kasimedu and other coastal areas to identify the cause of deaths and take appropriate action in case of any violation.

On January 21, Chief Secretary N Muruganandam chaired a high-level meeting to address the issue of the alarming number of deaths of the sea turtles along Chennai's coastline.

Officials from the forest department, fisheries, and the Indian Coast Guard took part in the meeting which decided to step up vigil and intensify efforts to conserve the sea turtles.

An environmentalist said an analysis of the carcasses indicated signs of drowning. "The popped eyes and bulged necks indicate that they have died due to drowning," he said.

"The Olive Ridley turtle population is facing a critical threat. The combination of habitat destruction and accidental entanglement in fishing nets has led to a drastic decline in their numbers," says The Tree Foundation representative Supraja Dharini.

Meanwhile, Garuda Aerospace said it was partnering with the Tree Foundation and the departments of Forest and Fisheries to deploy drones for surveillance along the city's coastline to protect the endangered turtles.

"We are deeply concerned by the recent mass deaths of Olive Ridley turtles. The plight of the turtles demands immediate action and long-term solutions. By deploying our drones free of charge for the next three months, we are directly intervening to protect the nesting sites, deter illegal fishing and give these hatchlings a chance at survival," said Garuda Aerospace CEO Agnishwar Jayaprakash.

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