Anthropogenic and climate driven threats to sea turtle habitats on Karnataka’s Coastline

Sulochanan, Bindu and Veena, S and Thomas, Sujitha and Padua, Shelton and Sobhana, K S (2025) Anthropogenic and climate driven threats to sea turtle habitats on Karnataka’s Coastline. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 91. pp. 1-10. ISSN 2352-4855

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Abstract

Sea turtle nesting and foraging habitats along the Karnataka Coast were evaluated using a multi-dimensional framework that integrated local ecological knowledge from resident fishermen, spatial estimation of beach nesting zones, analysis of storm events in the Arabian Sea, decadal coastal productivity trends, and vessel traffic distribution patterns. Sightings and strandings comprised of a hawksbill turtle, two green turtles and seven olive ridleys. The spatial analysis of beach zones showed a maximum nesting area of 0.068 km² per kilometer of shore. The resident fisher population (52.77 %) attributed loss of sea turtle nesting grounds to sea erosion and seawalls. The seawalls were laid on 36 % of the surveyed beach segments. Decadal assessments of coastal water productivity, based on Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations, indicate that 45.9 % of the observations were classified within the 'good' trophic status category. The sea surface temperature (SST) and Chl-a differed distinctly between near shore areas and deeper waters (10–29 m depth), indicating that the latter were influenced by coastal currents and ENSO events. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between SST and salinity (r = 0.53), and a negative correlation between SST and Chl-a (r = -0.14), offering insights into ecosystem dynamics. From 2012–2023, the Indian subcontinent experienced eighty-eight North Indian Ocean storms, highlighting the urgent need for climate-resilient conservation strategies. According to vessel traffic analysis, 56 % of fishing vessels were operating at speeds below 0.6 knots, suggesting potential opportunities to engage fishermen in conservation initiatives. Soft engineering structures are essential to protect turtle nesting habitats and safeguard coastal communities.

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