The line graph illustrates the population trends of four turtle species in India (Leatherback turtles, Green turtles, Olive Ridley turtles, and the overall population of all species) from 1980 to 2012. The populations are indexed to 100 for the year 1980.
Overall, there are mixed trends for the various species. While the population of Olive Ridley turtles showed a consistent increase over the period, Leatherback turtles experienced a sharp decline. The population of Green turtles declined slightly, whereas the overall population of all species remained relatively stable throughout the observed years.
In 1980, the populations of all species started at an index of 100. Olive Ridley turtles showed a steady increase, peaking at an index of around 140 in the years 1997, 2007, and 2011, before falling slightly to 130 in 2012. Conversely, Leatherback turtles fluctuated slightly in the early 1980s, peaking at 110 in 1987, before undergoing a dramatic decline, falling to approximately 55 by the end of the period.
Green turtles began at the index of 100, similar to the other species, but saw only minor fluctuations and a general downward trend, ending at around 90 in 2012. The overall population of all species fluctuated between 100 and 110 throughout the period, with slight rises and falls, but remained mostly stable, finishing at the same level it began in 1980.