590 kilometers of coast, and the fishermen's committee that guards its turtle nests
Background
Kerala's beaches are a nesting ground for sea turtles, and the Kerala Forest Department records how they came to be guarded.
The Kerala Forest Department records that Kerala's coastline stretches for 590 kilometers, dotted with rocks, inlets, backwaters and seawalls.
Olive Ridley turtles are frequent nesting visitors, green turtles have been documented nesting on the southern coast near Quilon, and leatherback turtles, though occasionally found stranded, do not nest in this region.
A group of young fishermen at Kolavipalam, led by Surendra Babu, formed the Theeram Prakriti Samrakshana Samiti, which translates to Coastal Ecosystem Protection Committee.
It started with just 12 members, ran nightly beach patrols during nesting season and created a fenced hatchery to safeguard eggs from predators and poachers.
The state Forest Department later supported it by hiring some members to patrol the beach during the nesting season.
In plain words
TPSS Theeram Prakriti Samrakshana Samiti — A fishermen's committee at Kolavipalam that guards sea turtle nests.
Hatchery A protected pen where eggs are kept until they hatch — A fenced enclosure where turtle eggs are kept safe from predators until they hatch.