Olive Ridley sea turtles
Conservation & responsible visits
Who protects the turtles of Tonka, how nests are cared for and how you can visit the beach without harming them.
Who protects the nests
The fishing community of Tonka finds most nests. Fishermen leaders such as Rajesh Tandel, Ramesh Tandel and Bhaskar Tandel look for turtle tracks at dawn and alert the authorities.
The Karnataka Forest Department (Honavar Forest Division) protects the nests, fences them or moves the eggs to safe hatcheries. It also releases the hatchlings.
Honavar Foundation, a local public charitable trust, supports nest protection, documentation, research and awareness, including the documentary The Ocean Connection.
How a nest is protected
When tracks are spotted, the nest is checked and either fenced where it is or the eggs are carefully moved to a fenced hatchery above the high-tide line. A board records the date. After about 45 to 60 days the hatchlings emerge and are released at the water's edge, usually early in the morning.
Visiting Tonka Beach responsibly
Keep your distance
Stay away from fenced nests and never dig in the sand around them. If you see a turtle, tracks or hatchlings, keep back and tell the local fishermen or the Forest Department.
Keep the beach dark
In the nesting season (November to April) do not use torches, phone lights or flash on the beach at night. Do not light fires.
Leave no plastic
Carry your waste back with you. Plastic in the sea is one of the biggest threats to turtles.
Dogs on a lead
Stray and pet dogs dig up nests. Keep dogs away from the nesting area.
Walk the beach with locals
Saturdays for the Sea is a free walk from Tonka Beach to the Sharavathi River estuary every Saturday at 4 pm from October to May, run by Honavar Foundation volunteers, followed by a short beach clean-up.
Learn more
Watch The Ocean Connection, read the FAQ or browse the data and research. Researchers and students can write to foundation [at] honavar [dot] com for local contacts.
Plan your trip
Ready for the river and the sea?
Pick a stay, choose an itinerary and book online on the property's site or a booking platform.