Plastic pollution has a direct and deadly effect on wildlife. Thousands of seabirds and sea turtles, seals, and other marine mammals are killed each year after consuming or getting stuck in plastic, paper, fishing nets, etc. One such incident happened in Tamil Nadu's Ramanathapuram district, where a green turtle got stuck in a fishing net. Thankfully, the fishermen spotted the turtle and rescued it with the help of Tamil Nadu Forest staff.
A video of the rescue was shared by Indian Administrative Service officer Supriya Sahu on January 6. The video opens to show a turtle caught among a school of fish in the net. As the fishermen and officials release it from the clutches of the net, the turtle slowly crawls back to the sea.
Mrs. Sahu hailed the kind act by the fishermen and wrote, “Safe rescue and release of a Green turtle (trapped in fishing net) by the Tamil Nadu Forest staff and Fisherfolk at Mariyur area, Ramanathapuram District. Kudos vc-DFO J Bakan.''
Watch the video here:
The heartwarming gesture was lauded by internet users, who were delighted to watch the turtle being released into the sea. The clip has garnered more than 13,000 views and more than 500 likes since being shared.
One user wrote, ‘'Kudos. An excellent demonstration of the team effort to rehabilitate the turtle.'' Another commented, ‘' Kudos! What a Great relief for Turtle..Tamil nadu Forest staff and Fisherfolk of Mariyur area.'' A third added, ‘'Positive attitude towards marine life. I salute all.''
According to World Wildlife Fund, the green turtle is one of the largest sea turtles and the only herbivore among the different species. They are named so due to the greenish colour of their cartilage, fat, and not their shells. Found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters, green turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and the beaches from where they hatched. Categorised as ‘endangered', they are threatened by overharvesting of their eggs, hunting of adults, being caught in fishing gear, and loss of nesting beach sites.
A similar incident highlighting the menace of single-use plastic products went viral online recently. In a video on Twitter by climate campaigner Mike Hudema, a scuba diver was seen rescuing a fish trapped inside a plastic packet underwater.
