Olive Ridley turtles from Tamil Nadu have begun migrating towards the Sri Lanka Dome, a little-known but highly productive ocean region, said Environment, Climate Change and Forests Secretary Supriya Sahu on Saturday.
In a social media post, Ms. Sahu noted that turtles released from Tamil Nadu’s coast have already travelled to the Sri Lanka Dome, where marine life gathers in large numbers. She added that turtles migrating from Odisha were also expected to converge in the same waters, pointing to a shared marine hotspot shaped by oceanic processes.
The Sri Lanka Dome is formed by seasonal upwelling that brings cool, nutrient-rich waters to the surface, triggering plankton blooms that attract turtles, fish, whales, and seabirds. Considered one of the most productive regions in the Indian Ocean, the phenomenon typically begins in May, peaks in July, and declines by September, after which the turtles disperse and begin their return migration.
The development comes against the backdrop of a first-of-its-kind satellite telemetry study launched in January 2026, under which two Olive Ridley turtles were tagged and released off the Chennai coast. The project, being implemented in partnership with the Wildlife Institute of India, aims to track turtle movements, nesting behaviour, and interactions with fishing activity.
