Kendrapara, Dec 18: Sporadic nesting of Olive Ridley turtles has started on the beaches of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, said Rajnagar divisional forest officer Kedar Kumar Swain.
The DFO said nests were sighted at Babaubali and Pentha beaches in Gahirmatha said to be the world’s largest rookery of the marine turtles, accorded protected status as per Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act,1972. The mortality rate of the species is so high that only one out of every 1,000 eggs laid hatches. To protect the eggs of the turtles from predators, the forest department has set up artificial hatcheries and deployed personnel. Two off-shore camps at Babubali and Agarnasi have also been set up while 16 on-shore camps have been set up from Dhamra to Devi river mouth to restrict illegal entry of trawlers. The forest officials claimed that the turtle deaths have been on the lower side this time as against last year due to surveillance on trawler fishing. The Coast Guard, Marine police and local police have provided support and co-operation to forest personnel in protecting the endangered species by intensifying patrolling. Six trawlers have been intercepted whereas 44 fishermen have been arrested by forest personnel for illegal fishing since a seven-month ban was clamped on fishing from November 1 within 20 km off Gahirmatha coast.
