| OLIVE RIDLEY - INTRODUCTION |
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| Conservation of the Olive Ridley turtles in Odisha began with the discovery and worldwide recognition of the Gahirmatha rookery close to the mouth of Brahmani-Baitarani (Dhamra) River, in 1974. A second mass nesting was discovered in 1981 at the Devi River mouth, about 55 nautical miles south of Gahirmatha. In 1994, a third mass nesting area was also discovered at the Rushikulya river mouth, 162 nautical miles south of Gahirmatha. The Olive Ridely Turtles come to the beaches of Odisha coast annually between November and December and stay on until April and May for nesting. Off late, nesting has been observed to start from late January to early February. The turtles choose the narrow beaches near estuaries and bays for laying their eggs. Each adult female lays approximately hundred to hundred and forty eggs at a time. The Olive Ridley's face serious threats across their migratory route, habitat and nesting beaches, due to human activities such as turtle unfriendly fishing practices, development and exploitation of nesting beaches for ports, and tourist centers. Though international trade in these turtles and their products is banned, they are still extensively poached for their meat, shell and leather. Turtles eggs, though illegal to harvest, have a significantly large market around the coastal regions. The most severe threat faced by the Olive Ridleys is the accidental killing of adult turtles through entanglement in trawl nets and gill nets due to uncontrolled fishing around nesting beaches during their mating season. Over 1.3 lakh turtles are believed to have been killed after being entangled in the nets of mechanised fishing trawlers in the last thirteen years.
Rescuing of Olive Ridley Turtle by Coast Guard Personnel |
| LEGISLATION FOR PROTECTION OF OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLES |
| All the five species of sea turtles occurring in India, including the Olive Ridley turtles, are legally protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Appendix I of the CITES Convention which prohibits trade in turtle products. |
| OPERATION OLIVIA 2014 |
| As the nesting period stretches over six months, the Indian Coast Guard undertakes the Olive Ridely Turtle protection program under the code name 'Operation Olivia' every year. Coast Guard District No. 7 (Odisha) commenced Operation Olivia 2014 on 08 Nov 2014 under the coordination and control of Commander Coast Guard Region (North East). |
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FAQs
Is Olive Ridley turtle found in India? ›
The coast of Orissa in India is the largest mass nesting site for the Olive-ridley, followed by the coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica. After about 45-65 days, the eggs begin to hatch, and these beaches are swamped with crawling Olive-ridley turtle babies, making their first trek towards the vast ocean.
Why is the man the greatest enemy of the Olive Ridley turtle? ›The number of olive ridleys are greatly reduced from historical estimates (for example, 10 million olive ridleys in the Pacific Ocean), due to overexploitation for turtle meat and eggs. Bycatch in fishing gear and the direct harvest of turtles and eggs are the biggest threat facing olive ridleys.
What is the Olive Ridley Turtle Operation? ›Operation Olivia is a project carried out by the Indian Coast Guard to protect the population of Olive Ridley turtles during their nesting seasons from December to May. It is carried out off the coast of Odisha, the primary habitat range of the turtles.
What are some fun facts about olive ridley? ›Olive ridley turtles are also one of the smallest sea turtle species at only 2 to 2.5 feet (0.6 to 0.7 m) long and 80 to 110 pounds (36 to 50 kg). They are named for the olive coloration of their heart-shaped shells. Olive ridley turtles live globally in the coastal waters of at least 80 countries.
Which turtle is native to India? ›| S. No. | Name | Scientific name |
|---|---|---|
| 2. | Indian softshell turtle | Nilssonia gangetica |
| 3. | Indian peaco*ck softshell turtle | Nilssonia hurum |
| 4. | Leith's softshell turtle | Nilssonia leithii |
| 5. | Black softshell turtle | Nilssonia nigricans |
Individuals surviving to adulthood may live up to 50 years. Certain populations of olive ridleys are federally listed as threatened and endangered, and the sea turtle is internationally listed as vulnerable.
What eats olive ridley turtles? ›Hatchlings, most of which perish before reaching the ocean, are preyed on by crabs, raccoons, pigs, snakes, and birds, among others. Adults are often taken by sharks.
What would happen if olive ridley turtles went extinct? ›So if sea turtles go extinct, there would be a serious decline in sea grass beds and a decline in all the other species dependent upon the grass beds for survival. All parts of an ecosystem are important, if you lose one, the rest will eventually follow.
Why are olive ridley turtles important? ›Sea turtles are a fundamental link in marine ecosystems and help maintain the health of coral reefs and sea grass beds.
How big can a olive ridley turtle get? ›The Olive Ridley sea turtle is relatively small compared to other sea turtle species, averaging 100 pounds in weight and measuring 2–2.5 feet in length. It has a gray-green heart-shaped shell.
How long can an olive ridley stay underwater? ›
The olive ridley can quietly rest or sleep underwater for up to about two hours. Activity or stress increases the need for oxygen and substantially reduces the time a turtle can stay submerged.
Do olive ridley turtles have teeth? ›Each sea turtle species has uniquely evolved to different environments and available food depending. Sea turtles therefore play a vital role in ocean ecosystems, affecting the diversity and function of ocean habitats by what they eat. Common for them all is that they all lack teeth!
Where is the Olive Ridley sea turtle found? ›The Olive Ridley sea turtle is distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific, South Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. In the Eastern Pacific, they are found from Southern California to Northern Chile. In the South Atlantic they occur along the coasts of West Africa and South America.
Is green sea turtle found in India? ›Chelonia mydas (Green turtle)
This is the largest species found in the Indian waters. It occurs in the west and east coasts of India, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The name Green turtle indicates the green colour of the fat. It is predominantly herbivorous and feeds on sea grass.
Some of the legally protected turtle breeds in India include the Indian flapshell turtle, the Indian softshell turtle, the Indian roofed turtle, and the Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle.
Do turtles live in the Indian Ocean? ›Six of the world's seven species of sea turtles live in the Indian Ocean: the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead and olive ridley. The abundance of each species differs between countries and oceanic areas.