Review on Sea Turtle Nesting Grounds of Tamil Nadu

Sea turtles are a large-shelled, oviparous animal, inhabiting tropical and subtropical seas throughout the world, except in polar-regions that plays a vital role in balancing the marine ecosystem. According to Hindu culture, they were called “Kurmavatara”, which were the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Sea turtle populations in Tamil Nadu have been depleted, due to their overuse in trade and from accidental drowning in fishing gears such as gill nets and trawlers. During this review, 10 coastal districts were studied from literature sources and the review could identify more than 65 nesting sites for sea turtles along the coasts of Tamil Nadu, excluding islands of Gulf of Mannar.