FSL India Blog

17th November 2010

Since last year FSL India and the Sanitation Project in Trasi are presenting the International Beach Cleaning Day with local people and volunteers. The Nirmala Grama Samithi (Sanitation Commitee) welcomed the numerous participants to keep the beach and the park clean. At first they meet for a strengthening snack and after welcome speeches of the committee and the lions club, around 60 people started with bags and gloves to do real nature conservation. It was a really exhausting work with the heat and the big area of pollution, but also it were a good diversion for the volunteers from their daily routine and a good impression for the locals to maybe get inspired.

- Karin Schneider

FSL India’s Sea Turtle project team has participated in Turtle Action Group’s Annual meeting held at Kumta, Karnataka between 13th to 15th November.

Turtle Action Group (TAG) is nation-wide network of Sea Turtle conservation organisations. About 100 people from different areas got together in the Dr. A.V. Baliga College of Arts and Science in Kumta, a village on the coast of Karnataka. The TAG was aimed to improve communication between the different organisations in order to be able to induce changes at a larger scale. Because of the big diversity between the organisations in different languages and locations, this proved very difficult while trying to find a consent. The Indian Wildlife Act from 1973 may have led to a decline of the intentional hunting of sea turtles; however, by-catching increased drastically since the 1990s. The TAG members argued that it is necessary that fishermen use TED nets; in order to achieve this, existing laws need to be reinforced. TAG planned to compose a letter to put pressure onto local governments to enforce the laws.

Dr. Kartik Shanker introduced SWOT, a data collection system about the state of the worlds’ sea turtles. Every organisation could contribute to this network by providing local data. During the weekend every organisation gave an insight in its awareness-rising strategies and activities as well as achievements and problems. Some groups showed documentaries they are using for awareness-rising in their local communities.

On Monday the TAG members went to the beach for field studying. Using the example of an Olive Ridley which lives in captivity, it was showed how to analise a sea turtle and also procedure for beach profiling was explained.

On the 28th of October the first sea turtle nest hatched on Maravanthe Beach. Out of 68 eggs, 61 eggs hatched and were released in the sea in the presence of forest department officers and the FSL volunteers. It was an amazing experience for everyone who was there. Currently there are 4 long-term volunteers in this project, two from Germany, one from Finland and one from Switzerland, and the project coordinator Daya with FSL team leaders Deepak and Dinesh.

With the help of the October work campers, 3 Turtle Information Centers were build on the beaches around Kundapura in order to inform the locals about sea turtles and their threats. We also did several beach walks and a harbour visit where we give away flyers. Most of the fishermen in the area know us already and some of their children were helping us to hand out the flyers. The goal of our awareness-rising activities is that people stop eating or selling the turtle eggs and that they call us immediately if they see any nests. So far it has worked out quite well: A new nest with 146 eggs was discovered on the 30th of October. A hatchery was build around it in order to protect it from animals and, of course, humans. We also hope for new baby turtles as the nest on Kodi Beach is supposed to hatch around the 13th of November.

“Be the change you want to see in the world”
(Mahatma Gandhi)

As a part of the Little Flower Family I am very thankful to experience this country, its people, its language and its culture. I always saw India as my door to a “more different and multifaceted life” and it has become true. Working in the Little Flower School gives me an intensive experience with another culture, much more than by just being a backpacking tourist. It gives me the opportunity to live with all these wonderful people in the project and to learn from each other how to be useful and effective. From the first day on I was part of the Little Flower Family. The children teached me a lot of things in the beginning and took me by the hand, whenever I needed help. It is amazing how many skills the children have in being responsible for themselves but also for others. They are always looking after each other. This helped me a lot to adapt the new culture and it’s life style. 

Of course I had also a lot of struggle in the last seven month, but maybe especially this is what makes this year so intensive, what makes me feel alive. In other words: Sometimes it is a mess - but I love it!

One of the most valuable lessons that India taught me so far is to realize the difference between what I would like to change and what I am able to change…
- Julian

This year’s first sea turtle nest was found and relocated near Maravanthe beach, North of Kundapur. Usually Sea Tutles nest between the month of  October to January in this part of the west coast. Since monsoon is not yet over, there are chances of sweet water entering the nest and destroying  it. It is a challenge for us to protect this nest against the rain. Last year some of the nests totally/partially failed to hatch because of the heavy rainfall at the end of September.

On Friday 13^th August, Chief Minster of Karnataka Mr. B.S. Yeddiyurappa officially inaugurated Sea Turtle conservation program by releasing a wounded sea turtle at Kodi Kanyana beach. During his visit, he inaugurated “Green cover project”, which includes sea turtle conservation program and different afforestation projects along the coast to prevent sea erosion.

Ministers, members of Western Ghat Task Force, officers of the forest department, politicians and locals were present during this event.

Green cover program is started by the western ghat task force- Government of Karnataka and Sea turtle conservation program was included along with many other Eco projects to preserve bio- diversity of the region.

This initiation is the result of the effort from forest department and the presentation/appeal given by FSL sea turtle team to the Government during workshop held by Forest department and Western Ghat task force at Mangalore in March 18^th 2010.

Getting Support by the Government for this project is huge achievement for MTCI (Maravanthe Turtle Conservation Initiative) to our future plans. FSL India would like to thank all the volunteers and locals who actively participated in this project during last 5 years.

Namaste!

My name is Martha Pinsker and I work in Chaitanya Special School. It provides mental and physical handicapped children with education, recreational activities and medical care. There are about 30 students at the age of 5-25 attending school.

I work at Chaitanya for 11 month now and I really like the work here. The children are lovely and they make me smile every day.

My stay in India is almost over as I will leave in two weeks. I really enjoyed my time here and won’t ever forget the experiences that influenced me and my life, the very good ones and even the bad ones.

As it’s said, India is incredible there won’t pass one day by without letting you be surprised.

Because of the great interest in our first postcard we fulfilled the often voiced wish of printing another postcard. Now you can see Kundapura’s beautiful beaches, the backwaters and cultural events on one postcard. Is there a better way of sending personal greetings to your loved-ones? Visit the FSL Eco-office and get exclusive Kundapura postcards. All the money goes to the Eco-Tourism fund which is used to finance our projects and build a farmer’s committee on Kannada Kudru.