Archive · 22 Nov 2025
Maharashtra Tags First Rehabilitated Sea Turtle on West Coast
A special sea turtle named Dhaval Lakshmi was rescued, healed, and then fitted with a tiny GPS tracker before being set free in the ocean.
This is the first time this has happened on the west coast of India.
Scientists will follow her movements to learn more about how to protect her kind.
Maharashtra Forest Department satellite-tagged an Olive Ridley sea turtle for the first time on the state’s west coast
The female turtle, named Dhaval Lakshmi, was rescued, treated, and rehabilitated before being released off Dahanu
She is the first injured and rehabilitated sea turtle to be tagged on India’s west coast and the eighth Olive Ridley tagged in Maharashtra
The satellite tag will track Dhaval Lakshmi's movement patterns and migration routes in the Arabian Sea
Researchers aim to use this data to strengthen conservation measures for Olive Ridleys
- Who
- Maharashtra Forest Department, Dahanu Forest Division, Mangrove Cell, Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
- What
- Satellite-tagged a rehabilitated Olive Ridley sea turtle
- When
- 20 November 2022
- Where
- Dahanu, Maharashtra
- Why
- To study the turtle's migration patterns and improve conservation efforts
- Species
- Olive Ridley sea turtle
- Name
- Dhaval Lakshmi
- Rescue Date
- 10 August 2022
- Release Date
- 20 November 2022
- Tag Number
- First rehabilitated turtle tagged on India’s west coast