More than 5,000 sea turtle hatchlings were released into the Bay of Bengal this nesting season, the Humane Society International (HSI) said on May 22, the day before World Turtle Day.

The olive ridley sea turtle hatchlings were released as part of a conservation program aimed at recruiting local fishing communities to help protect the vulnerable marine reptiles, HSI said.

The olive ridley sea turtle is classified as a “vulnerable” species by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. Credit: Humane Society International/India via Storyful