Mumbai, Dec. 16 -- The steady westward movement of satellite-tagged Olive Ridley turtle Dhaval Lakshmi from the Dahanu coast is being seen by scientists as a strong indicator of a successful rewilding, return to its natural habitat, after months of medical treatment and rehabilitation. Tracking data as of Sunday shows that Lakshmi is around 120 km off the Dahanu coast and continuing to move westward. Since her release into the Arabian Sea late last month, she has travelled nearly 240 km, indicating that she is adapting well to life in the wild. Senior scientist Suresh Kumar from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) said the turtle's movement pattern reflects healthy behaviour after release. "From the way she is moving now, it is clear that she is gradually acclimatising to the wild and actively foraging," Kumar said. "This tells us that the rehabilitation has worked. It is solid proof that rescued turtles can survive and adapt successfully once released." Dhaval Lakshmi was rescued in August after being found entangled in fishing nets near Dahanu in Palghar district. Forest department officials said she was weak and injured when brought in for treatment. She was later shifted to a specialised turtle rehabilitation centre, where she remained under care for several weeks. After veterinarians and experts confirmed that she was fit to return to the wild, she was released into the Arabian Sea in November. Before her release, a satellite transmitter was attached to her shell to monitor her movements and study how rehabilitated turtles behave once back in the ocean. Early tracking data had raised some concern among conservationists, as Lakshmi stayed close to the coastline for several days after her release. Kumar explained that this was a normal response for an animal that had spent months in captivity. "This turtle had been in captivity for a long time. It is not surprising that we saw limited and repetitive movement in the beginning," he said. "They need time to get used to a free environment and respond to environmental cues that are beneficial to them, especially for foraging." Seasonal ocean currents also influence turtle movement, Kumar added. "I would not expect long-distance movement during this season due to currents," he said. "What we are seeing instead is a gradual movement away from the shore, which is a very positive sign." According to scientists Lakshmi is currently moving within the continental shelf, the shallow underwater area that extends from the coastline before the sea floor drops sharply. "The continental shelf in this region is very wide. Even at about 120 km offshore, she is still in shallow waters," Kumar explained. "Only after crossing roughly 100 km does the sea become deep. Her present movement is still in shallow waters." Forest department officials said the satellite-tagging effort is particularly important because there is limited data on how rehabilitated Olive Ridley turtles behave after they are released along the state's northern coast. "Earlier, around seven Olive Ridley turtles were tagged along the Ratnagiri coast, but this turtle is from the northern end and is not a nesting turtle," an official said. "We do not know where she will eventually go," he added. Officials added that tracking Lakshmi's journey could help identify migration routes and ecologically important marine areas, which would strengthen conservation planning. "Once we understand where she migrates and the areas she uses, we can apply these learnings to improve rehabilitation and rewilding efforts for other injured turtles rescued from the Dahanu coast. This is the first time we have tagged a rehabilitated turtle ," the official said. Conservationists believe the success of Lakshmi's rewilding could pave the way for more structured turtle rescue, rehabilitation and release programmes....