Odisha, May 10: The Olive Ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are a vulnerable species. This year, about 1.48 crore Olive Ridley turtles have hatched out of 2.98 lakh nests at the Gahirmatha Beach, Odisha.
Each mother turtle lays about 100-120 eggs and leaves the nest. The hatchlings emerge from the eggs after 45-60 days and wander for around an hour on the beach before leaving for the ocean. At the time, the hatchlings need special protection.
To conserve the turtles, Odisha banned fishing with trawlers and mechanised boats for 20 kms from the coast between 1st November 2020 and 31st May 2021. The missile-testing facility in Chandipur (which is nearby) was also asked to cover up lights at night. The state government has been helped by the Navy, Coast Guard, conservationists, fisheries, and local communities. This turtle species is being protected and nurtured on other beaches in India too.
