Distribution of marine reptiles on the Tamil nadu coast, Southeast coast of India

Distribution of marine reptiles (Family: Hydrophiidae) has revealed that presence of fourteen species included in five genera, in the Tamil Nadu (Southeast Coast of India) coast during 2011-2012. Sea snake species Hydrophis cyanocinctus and Enhydrina schistosa were frequently recorded and turtles olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) occurred during the study period. A great number of reptiles are slowly disappearing mainly due to the human interference with rapid growth of industrializations and land exploitation. Snakes and turtles are hunted for skin as leather, sometimes for meat. Turtle breeding beaches have also been threatened by sand quarrying, egg poaching and pollution. Sea turtle populations in this area have been reported to have declined due to their over-exploitation for trade and from accidental drowning in fishing gear such as gillnets and trawlers. This study therefore recommends that Government officials should periodically for TEDs (Turtle Excluder Devices) in their trawler nets.