Anjarle Turtle Festival in Maharashtra

07 Feb, 2016

The first ever ‘Anjarle Turtle Festival’ was jointly hosted by GIZ’s CMPA project, the Anjarle Gram Panchayat, and the Forest Department from 6-7 February 2016 in Maharashtra. This is the first time that the entire the village community had taken the lead in organising the turtle festival. The festival was organised to create awareness for the rare species- The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle.

Apart from the release of one hatchling, the other attractions that captivated the attention of more than 200 visitors were the turtle film shows, boat rides, nature trails and interactive sessions with tourists by the village community.

Photo Credit: Supriya Jhunjhunwala

During the festival, Mr. Vilas Bardekar (Chairman, State Biodivsersity Board), Mr. Vikas Jagtap (DFO, Ratnagiri Forest Division), and Ms. Supriya Jhunjhunwala (Advisor, GIZ) also hosted a meeting with biodiversity management committee and the villagers.

Photo Credit: Supriya Jhunjhunwala

Photo Credit: Supriya Jhunjhunwala

Photo Credit: Supriya Jhunjhunwala