With a small satellite tracker on her head, an Olive Ridley turtle named Dhaval Lakshmi has made an incredible journey across the Arabian Sea and is now back in Indian waters. And this was just six months after she was released from Maharashtra's Dahanu. What surprised wildlife experts is that Dhaval Lakshmi travelled a distance of 3,500 kms, and even came close to the coast of Oman before turning back to the Indian waters.
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Suresh Kumar noted that only a very small number of turtles have been tracked so far, leaving many unknowns. Dhaval Lakshmi’s latest signals show her heading back toward the Maharashtra coast.
Dhaval Lakshmi became a symbol of hope and she was named for luck and resilience. Her rehabilitation included months of veterinary care and gradual strengthening. Upon full recovery, she was prepared for release into the sea.
(With TOI inputs)
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Why Dhaval Lakshmi stands out?
Among eight turtles tagged in Maharashtra, Dhaval Lakshmi is the only one to take such a long, deep-sea route, while the others mostly stayed along the west coast. Dhaval Lakshmi also stands out because she was the only one treated for injuries before being released, making her journey a remarkable example of successful wildlife rehabilitation at the Dahanu Turtle Rescue Centre. “This is a success story,” said Suresh Kumar of WII.ALSO READ: Trisha Krishnan called off her wedding to Varun Manian in 2015. Here's why Thalapathy Vijay's co-star broke up with the Chennai businessman
Dhaval Lakshmi's journey
After initially staying close to the coast, Dhaval Lakshmi gradually turned west. By mid-January, she had travelled over 700 kilometres from Dahanu, the report said. On February 26, her trackers placed her about 160 kilometres off Masirah Island, a well-known turtle nesting site near Oman’s coast, sparking hopes she might head towards the Omani continental shelf. But she didn’t. Instead, she reversed direction and started moving northeast.Suresh Kumar noted that only a very small number of turtles have been tracked so far, leaving many unknowns. Dhaval Lakshmi’s latest signals show her heading back toward the Maharashtra coast.
When did Dhaval Lakshmi's journey begin?
A female Olive Ridley turtle was rescued off the Dahanu coast in August last year when she was found injured. Trapped in a fishing net with her front flippers harmed, scientists named her Dhaval Lakshmi (after late wildlife activist Dhaval Kansara) after rehabilitation at turtle centre. She took several months to recover under careful veterinary supervision and monitoring. She was released on November 20 with a tracker attached to her shell and now her journey is being tracked using satellite technology in real time.Dhaval Lakshmi became a symbol of hope and she was named for luck and resilience. Her rehabilitation included months of veterinary care and gradual strengthening. Upon full recovery, she was prepared for release into the sea.
Journey through the Arabian Sea
After being released, Dhaval Lakshmi first swam southwest towards Gujarat’s waters before moving into deeper stretches of the Arabian Sea. At one stage, she was recorded about 715 kilometres from the Dahanu coast. Overall, her journey spans nearly 1,000 kilometres across coastal and offshore waters. The movement pattern helps identify her feeding areas and preferred ocean routes, highlighting the turtle’s impressive endurance and navigation abilities.(With TOI inputs)
