Injured wild turtle treated, satellite-tagged, released into waters

The operation, conducted by the Dahanu forest division and the Maharashtra mangrove cell with support from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), is a landmark achievement marking the first of its kind in the region, officials said

Mumbai: Nearly three months after an injured wild turtle was rescued from the west coast in Dahanu, it was successfully satellite-tagged and released into the waters on Thursday, after full recovery. The operation, conducted by the Dahanu forest division and the Maharashtra mangrove cell with support from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), is a landmark achievement marking the first of its kind in the region, officials said.

Injured wild turtle treated, satellite-tagged, released into waters

The tagged turtle, an adult female Olive Ridley later named Dhaval Lakshmi, had been brought in after fishermen spotted her struggling in a fishing net on August 10. Instead of cutting her free and letting her drift, the fishermen carefully rescued her and handed her to the forest department. “The fishermen showed extraordinary care. They freed her without causing further harm and immediately handed her over to us after noticing injuries on both front flippers,” said an official from the Dahanu Forest Division.

She underwent months of treatment and rehabilitation at the Turtle Treatment Centre in Dahanu. Her recovery was closely monitored till veterinarians certified she had regained full strength. Subsequently, the authorities satellite-tagged her and released her into the Arabian Sea. Officials said this milestone underscores a new direction for marine conservation along the western coastline.

“This is a historic moment. For the first time on the West Coast, a turtle that was rescued, treated, and fully rehabilitated has been fitted with a satellite transmitter,” an official from the Mangrove Cell said. “It’s also the first such tagging from Palghar district.”

Officials said the tagging is significant because rehabilitated turtles are rarely tracked after release, leaving a major gap in understanding how they resume life in the wild. Data from the transmitter will help scientists map Dhaval Lakshmi’s movements, gauge her post-rehabilitation behaviour and study migration routes of Olive Ridleys along the west coast. “This tracking will give us valuable insights into how rehabilitated turtles navigate, feed, and migrate,” a WII researcher added.

Officials emphasised that the achievement reflects the impact of coordination between coastal communities, conservation agencies and scientific expertise. “The tagging is a testament to what coordinated action, starting from fishermen to forest staff and marine biologists, can accomplish,” the forest department said.