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Rushikulya sands teem with Olive Ridleys - IAS Academy in Coimbatore

Context

  • Nearly 6.37 lakh Olive Ridley turtles have arrived for mass nesting on the Rushikulya coast this year, setting a new record for the beach in Ganjam district of Odisha.
  • The arrival of the turtles for laying eggs from February 23 to March 2 — which is treated as the mass nesting period — was attributed to the emergence of new beaches near the Podam- petta area, Berhampur Divisional Forest Officer Sunny Khokkar said.
  • Turtles also arrive at Gahirmatha beach in Kendrapara district, which is known as the world’s largest known rookery. Puri and Devi river mouth beaches too host Olive Ridley turtles this time around.

About:

  • The Olive ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
  • 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.
  • The Odisha’s Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is known as the world’s largest rookery (colony of breeding animals) of sea turtles.

Protection Status:

  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1

IUCN Red List: Vulnerable