Mass Mortality of Olive Ridley Turtles in Andhra

January 25, 2023

The villagers in the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh reported that hundreds of Olive Ridley turtles were washed ashore. This is the annual breeding season of Olive Ridley turtles, that is, between February and March. During this time, the females come to the shore to lay eggs. Unfortunately, their population is declining due to several reasons such as fishing nets, plastics, etc.

Olive Ridley Turtles

They are also known as the Pacific Ridley Turtles. The IUCN categorizes these turtles as “Vulnerable”. CITES put them under “APPENDIX I”. They are found in the Indian Ocean, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans.

The Olive Ridley Turtles in India

In India, the turtles nest in the Gahirmatha beach. The beach is one of the largest nesting sites of the Olive Ridley Turtles in the world.

Initiatives to protect the turtles

The Government of India and the Government of Odisha have launched several initiatives to protect the turtles. Operation Olivia was launched by the Indian Coast Guard to protect the species. Odisha Government provided Turtle Excluder Devices to the trawls to avoid accidental killing of the turtles. Odisha Government takes active measures to protect the turtle as 50% of the world’s Olive Ridley turtles can be seen in the state.

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