An awareness program on marine turtle monitoring was conducted on 31 January 2024 for the tribal fishers of Perka village, Car Nicobar in continuation with the marine turtle monitoring programs being held at Car Nicobar in the recent past. The awareness program aimed to identify potential resource persons from the Nicobar tribal community who shall act as informants on marine turtle nesting and foraging in the Car Nicobar coast. During the session, log sheets for recording the daily observations on marine turtles were handed over to the tribal fishermen with insights on the identification of various turtle species. Approximately 25 tribal fishers from Perka village participated in the program. The limitations of scientific researchers to record regular observations on a remote island like Car Nicobar and the need for the public to participate and contribute to such scientific observations were sensitized to the participants.
Photographs of the nesting sites, turtle track marks, and marine turtles found in Car Nicobar by the research team of CIARI were also shared with the participants. The success story of the identification and protection of Olive ridley turtles by tribal fishermen of Teetop Village, Car Nicobar was also shared with the participants to promote enthusiasm for further education. More such programs are planned at the village level to garner more volunteers for their participation and contribution to marine conservation projects. The program was conducted by ICAR- Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair in collaboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Nicobar with funding from the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi. Dr. R Kiruba Sankar, Senior Scientist, Miss Lucinda Meshack from the Division of Fisheries Science, ICAR-CIARI, and Mr. Mohamed Sarief of Krishi Vigyan Kendra coordinated the awareness program. The initiative was operated under the guidance of Dr. Eaknath B Chakurkar, Director of ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair.
