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A 16-year study shows that Olive Ridley turtle populations in India are stable or growing.
However, rising sand temperatures due to climate change are causing more female turtles to be born. This could threaten the population's long-term viability.
The report was prepared by the Dakshin Foundation in partnership with IISc and state forest departments.
The study includes Olive Ridley, leatherback, and Green turtles.
This month, Rushikulya witnessed one of the largest arribadas in recent years. Between 400,000 and 500,000 turtles nested in just a few days.
Odisha’s Gahirmatha and Rushikulya are among the largest nesting grounds globally.
Olive Ridley sea turtle
These turtles are carnivores and get their name from their olive-coloured carapace.
They are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.
Habitat:
They are found in warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans.
Odisha’s Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is known as the world’s largest rookery (a colony of breeding animals) of sea turtles.
Protection Status:
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1
IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
CITES: Appendix I
Every year, the Indian Coast Guard’s “Operation Olivia”, initiated in the early 1980s, helps protect Olive Ridley turtles as they congregate along the Odisha coast for breeding and nesting from November to December.
Threats Faced by Olive Ridley Turtles?
Coastal development projects, such as the construction of seawalls, resorts, and ports, destroy nesting beaches and reduce foraging grounds for olive ridley turtles.
They are accidentally caught in fishing gear, such as gillnets, trawls, and longlines. This can injure or kill the turtles.
Raccoons, crabs, birds, and foxes can raid olive ridley turtle nests and predate on the eggs affecting their population growth.
Warmer ocean temperatures can also disrupt the sex ratios of hatchlings, producing more females.
They can often consume plastic bags in search of foods like for jellyfish, and ingest them, leading to blockages and starvation.
Artificial lights from nearby towns and industries can disorient hatchlings, causing them to move away from the sea and towards nearby villages.
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