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Marine Turtle Newsletter 110:7, © 2005

Marine Turtle Newsletter-Online

Observations of Green Turtles in the Lakshadweep Islands, West Coast of India

P. Kannan1 & M. Rajagopalan2
1Mandapam Regional Centre of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute ICAR, Mandapam Camp 623 520, Tamil Nadu, India (Email: perukan@hotmail.com)
2Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, ICAR Cochin, 682 018, Kerala, India.

Four species of sea turtle nest in the Lakshadweep Islands (Bhaskar 1978). Here we report the sightings of green turtles in the Lakshadweep Islands during cruise 218 of the Fishing and Oceanographic Research Vessel Sagar Sampada from 28th October
to 11th November 2003 in the West coast of India. Super Zenith (7x50) Field 7.1 binoculars were used for sea turtle observations.

Sightings of 4 sub-adults, with an estimated carapace length of 45-50 cm, were recorded at 110 39” 15’ N and 740 27’ 05 E, in waters of 1100m, 75 nautical miles from shore. Seven adult green turtles were noted at 110 42” 84’ N and 730 38’ 21” E in waters of 1561m, 110 nautical miles from shore. The turtles were sighted 10-20 m from the vessel. All sighted turtles were observed floating passively with
the water current. Lakshadweep waters have a rich floral diversity of seaweeds and sea grasses (Kaliaperumal et al. 1989; Tripathy et al. 2002). As these constitute a very important component in the diet of the green turtle it is suggested that the turtles in this area may be migrating towards the lagoons to feed.


Table 1. Morphometrics of nesting hawksbill turtles, clutch sizes and eggs.

BHASKAR, S. 1978. Marine turtles in India’s Lakshadweep Islands. Marine Turtle Newsletter 8:5.

KALIAPERUMAL, N., P. KALADHARAN AND S. KALIMUTHU.1989. Seaweeds and sea grass resources in Lakshadweep Islands. Bulletin of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute 43:16-166 pp.

TRIPATHY, B., B.C.CHOUDHURY & K. SHANKER. 2002. Marine turtles of Lakshadweep Islands, India. Kachaapa 7:3-6.