India GOOlive ridley turtle
समुद्री कछुआ (samudri kachhua)
A small olive-green sea turtle that comes ashore at night to lay its eggs on sandy beaches.
👀 How to recognise it
What you realistically see is a nest enclosure fenced off by the forest department above the tideline, and, on some nights, a hatchling release.
Protection
Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Where to see it
Goa
Olive ridleys nest on a handful of Goan beaches between November and March. Goa's forest department runs three designated turtle beaches: Morjim in the north, Agonda and Galgibaga in the south. Nests are fenced above the tideline and watched by department staff, and beach lighting rules change for the season.
Galgibaga (in season) · Morjim (in season) · Agonda (in season)
Murudeshwar
One of Karnataka's first turtle hatcheries was started on this coast, and the local fishing community took on the protection of the nests. Port construction at Kasarkod Tonka has since been reported to disrupt nesting there, so check locally before planning a visit around it.
Kasarkod (Eco) Beach, Honnavar (in season) · Apsarakonda Falls & Beach
Udupi
Only about 12 km of Karnataka's coastline is suitable for nesting, spread across roughly forty low-density sites, which is why each protected beach here counts for a lot.
Padubidri Beach (in season) · Mattu Beach (in season) · Kaup Beach & Lighthouse (in season) · Delta Beach, Kodi Bengre (in season)