Shrunken habitat behind diminishing Olive Ridley population

Odisha coast is the largest mass-nesting ground in the world for the critically endangered Olive Ridley turtles. This year, the Arribada, as it is popularly known, saw the largest number of arrivals.
Gautam Pandey
Gautam Pandey

Odisha coast is the largest mass-nesting ground in the world for the critically endangered Olive Ridley turtles. This year, the Arribada, as it is popularly known, saw the largest number of arrivals. According to the forest officials monitoring the turtle “landings”, over six lakh of them arrived by the fourth week of February on Gahirmatha Bhitarkanika and Rushikulya beaches.


February is the annual peak time for the Arribada.  This year, thousands of the turtles landed on the 1 km-long Nasi II island of Gahirmatha, to build their nests. Ridleys lay up to 150 soft eggs. Once laid, the female covers the eggs carefully with sand and returns to the sea. The frenzied activity continues as wave after wave of female Ridleys come ashore, clamber and trample each other to find space for nest.


The beach appeared to be covered with grey boulders. Space had run out. New arrivals, desperate to off load their eggs, inadvertently dug up earlier nests flipping out the eggs. Thousands of damaged and broken eggs lay scattered all over the nesting ground. 


According to official estimates, 50 per cent of the over 60 million eggs laid in Nasi II zone may have been damaged or lost due to overcrowding of Ridleys. Two beaches, Ekakula Nasi and Nasi I, much larger than Nasi II were ignored by the turtles. It drew hardly a 100 turtles. Some experts believe that turtles are sensitive to changes and water pH levels and avoid areas that are unstable or polluted.


Originally, Gahirmatha had a 32 km-long coastline  with a nesting area of 1.8 lakh square metre. But most areas are now fragmented. For centuries, Gahirmatha and Rushikulya have been a popular nesting and hatching area, a protected marine sanctuary.

Manmade activities, construction of new ports, pollution and dredging of the coastline have affected the ocean currents and  tides. These could well be reason for the fragmentation and attrition of the habitat and emergence of new sandbars.


Whatever the case, the nesting area has shrunk drastically, the loss of almost 50 per cent of unhatched eggs is a matter of serious concern. Eggs usually hatch after 40-45 days. Parent turtles play no part in the final journey.

The hatchlings are on their own as they emerge from the sand. The bright reflection of the moon in the sea acts as a beacon and guides them towards the ocean and safety. Unfortunately, the lights from the nearby industries confuse some hatchlings and they flounder in vegetation, rocks and debris. Those who reach the sea have many other challenges to face. Survival rate is poor. It is estimated that only two out of 100 such turtles survive.


Sea turtles play a crucial role in maintaining our oceans, coral reefs, provide nutrients for the beaches  and remove dead, putrefying organic matter. They even keep the population of jelly fish under control.
Sea turtles have been virtually eliminated from many areas of the world. Unregulated commercial activities along eco-sensitive coastal zones, and heavy demand for turtle meat, soups, eggs, and skin shells continue to push turtles towards extinction.


The marine and coastal ecosystems support the livelihood of over 60 per cent of the world’s population, and sea turtles play a definitive role in its maintenance. Their extinction would negatively impact the marine and coastal ecosystems, in turn directly affecting the human population.


Unnatural extinction of species has tipped the earth’s equilibrium, threatening all life on the planet. Our own survival is at stake. There is a need to protect sea turtles and ensure their population remains at healthy levels—a vital link in ensuring sustainability of the fragile web of life... and our planet.
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