Turtle conservation activists, who have cared for Kolavi beach for decades, have protected the turtle eggs and guarded the hatchlings till they could embrace the waves, say that massive ecological destruction to the coastal zone and global climate change has delayed the nesting of Olive Ridley turtles this season.

The Theeram Prakrithi Smarakshana Samithy began its work of preserving and guarding the Olive Ridleys in the 1990s. They battled to keep the beach free of the depredations of sand mining and saved thousands of eggs and ensured that 3000 Olive Ridleys have lived to swim away.

M.T. Suresh, president of the organisation, told Deccan Chronicle that September to March is the nesting season of the turtles. "I think the unique monsoon pattern this year also has had a negative effect on the nesting trend of turtles, apart from the widespread destruction of the coastal ecosystem," he said.