Olive Ridley Turtle Protection from Vajirao & Reddy Institute

OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLE PROTECTION

• Location & Restrictions:
  • Recently, Forest officials have restricted entry along a 5-km stretch from Gokharakuda to Bateshwar, near the Rushikulya river mouth in Ganjam district, Odisha, to protect Olive Ridley turtle eggs.
• Reason for Restrictions:
  • The restrictions were imposed after a record number of 6.98 lakh female Olive Ridley turtles laid eggs during the mass nesting period from February 16 to 23.

• Safety Measures:
  • The area has been re-fenced and declared a ‘no-entry zone’ to ensure the safety of the eggs.
  • Over 140 personnel (including local volunteers) have been deployed to protect the eggs.
  • The entire stretch has been divided into 50 sectors, with personnel assigned to specific areas for continuous monitoring.

• Sea Patrolling:
  • Patrolling has also been conducted in the sea to monitor and protect turtles that may still be in deep waters.
  • Three boats have been used for this purpose, one of which has been provided by Gopalpur port authorities.
• Future Predictions:
  • Experts expects a second phase of mass nesting to take place in the rookery later this year.

• Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas
• Physical Features:
  • Size: They can grow up to 120 cm in length & weight between 136-159 kg.
  • Shell: They have Smooth carapace (upper shell) with color variations like black, grey, green, brown, and yellow. And their plastron (bottom shell) is yellowishwhite.
  • Head: they have a Comparatively small head.
  • Beak: They have modified “beaks” instead of teeth suited to their herbivorous diet.
  • Vision: they have Good underwater vision, but nearsighted out of water.
  • Hearing: Eardrums covered by skin, hearing best at low frequencies.
• Diet:
  • Herbivorous: they mostly feed on seagrasses & algae.
  • This gives their fat a greenish hue but not the shell. This unique diet differentiates them from other sea turtles.
• Lifespan: they are Estimated to live for 60-70 years.
• Distribution:
  • They are Found in tropical and subtropical waters globally.
  • They make Nest along the coastlines of over 80 countries.
  • Largest nesting populations: Found in Costa Rica and Australia.
  • Migration: Green sea turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and nesting sites, with recorded migrations exceeding 2,600 km
• Conservation Status:
  • Classified as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List due to threats like habitat loss, poaching, and climate change impacts.