Under the early light on Tamil Nadu’s coast, hundreds of tiny Olive Ridley hatchlings make their way across the sand. They move in short, uneven bursts, leaving behind faint trails that the next wave will soon erase. Ahead of them is the Bay of Bengal.

A few metres away, forest staff and volunteers watch closely, guiding them when needed, making sure each one reaches the water.

This scene has started playing out more often along the state’s coastline.

Since 2025, Tamil Nadu has been trying to understand these turtles more closely, following where they go, where they return, and what helps them survive. On the ground, this work shows up in small ways — early-morning beach patrols, guarded hatcheries, and, sometimes, a small satellite tag fixed onto a turtle’s shell before it disappears into the sea.

In places like Thoothukudi, this effort comes together in moments like these, when hatchlings are released in groups and watched until they reach the water.

An update shared by Supriya Sahu, additional chief secretary for environment, climate change, and forests, captured the scale of what is unfolding.

Baby turtles taking their first steps and leaving their indelible mark on the sands of time is one of nature's countless miracles. One day, they will return to these very same beaches where they were born. This season, 51 hatcheries across Tamil Nadu are nurturing........

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