BHUBANESWAR: Little more than a month after the Centre, in the Union Budget, announced introduction of Turtle Trails along key Olive Ridley nesting sites in the country, Odisha which sees maximum congregation of the turtles has rolled out a pilot project in the connection.
PCCF wildlife and chief wildlife warden Prem Kumar Jha said the community-led initiative has been implemented by the Berhampur circle at Bateshwar village in Ganjam district. This will give tourists and visitors an opportunity to witness the grand nesting of Olive Ridleys this season.
“Unemployed local youth have been engaged as conservation ambassadors. By participating in the project, they will also gain the opportunity to support wildlife conservation while earning a sustainable livelihood for themselves,” Jha said.
As part of the project, Jha said, a structured visitor management system has been placed at Bateshwar beach in Rushikulya under the communit-led conservation model to ensure safe and non-intrusive observation of Olive Ridley nesting at the rookery.
Regional chief conservator of forests (RCCF), Berhampur circle, Vishwanath Neelannavar said a 500-metre buffer zone has been demarcated, permitting visitors to observe nesting activity only from designated observation points. Around 50 villagers and members of the Van Surakshya Samiti (VSS), Bateshwar, including women, have been imparted training to guide visitors, regulate their entry and conduct awareness activities during the nesting season.
“The VSS has been entrusted with parking management, entry ticketing and maintenance of basic tourist facilities. The visitor entry to the site will be regulated on a first come, first serve basis and with a nominal fee of Rs 5 along with Rs 5-Rs 10 for parking of vehicles. All revenue generated in the process will be directed to the local community,” he said.
The RCCF said movable biotoilet facilities will be provided near the visitor zone to ensure hygiene without creating permanent infrastructure. There will also be ban on plastic and other food items at the nesting site.
ACF Khallikote Dibya Shankar Behera said a small enclosure area near Bateshwar beach has been created from where visitors will be able to see the nesting activity.
“The initiative will not only promote sustainable tourism but also allow many local youths, including women, to earn a sustainable income while contributing to wildlife conservation,” said Prasanta Rao, member secretary of Bateshwar VSS.
The Berhampur division has also finalised a comprehensive protection and conservation framework for this year’s Olive Ridley sea turtle breeding and nesting season at the Rushikulya Rookery. Though mass nesting of the Olive Ridleys at the site is yet to begin, officials said as of March 14, the site has recorded 5,704 sporadic nesting.
As part of protection measures, a robust security grid consisting of 11 on-shore protection camps across the Berhampur and Khallikote ranges have been deployed, supported by 50 protection squads and specialised hatchery watchers. Around 10 km of beach cleaning and 5 km of fencing work has also been completed at critical sites like the Rushikulya river mouth spit island and Gokharkuda, officials said.