In News
- Recently, the Odisha government has banned fishing around olive ridley turtles’ mass nesting sites.
About
- Scientific name: Lepidochelys olivacea
- Also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle.
- Location: Found in warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
- Conservation Status
- IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
- CITES: Appendix I
- Features:
- They are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
- Known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.
- These are carnivores and feed mainly on jellyfish, shrimp etc.
- Major nesting sites:
- Rushikulya rookery coast (Odisha),
- Gahirmatha beach (Bhitarkanika National park) and
- Mouth of the Debi River.
- Threats:
- For Adults: Dense fishing, especially ocean-going trawlers, mechanised fishing boats and gill-netters.
- For Eggs: Heavy predation of eggs, indiscriminate fishing with trawlers and gill nets, and beach soil erosion.
- Government Efforts:
- Making mandatory use of Turtle Excluder Devices, a net specially designed to allow them to escape during the catch.
- ‘Operation Oliva’ Exercise of Coast guard.
Source: DTE
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