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Irregular nesting by Olive Ridleys

By Prafulla Das

BHUBANESWAR, FEB.1. Irregular nesting by the Olive Ridley sea turtles on the Orissa coast is causing concern to wildlife enthusiasts. They fear that the turnout of this endangered species may fall this year.

The observers monitoring the coast say that the nesting is much lower level compared to the previous season at the Gahirmatha, Devi and Rushikulya river mouths.

A large group of turtles was noticed at Nasi Island in the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary area.

But turtle lovers are keeping their fingers crossed as no nesting had taken place at the Nasi island in the past two years.

The turtles, which have congregated since October, are also getting killed in the nets of mechanised fishing boats.

"At least 3,000 turtles have been killed this season, including 838 at the nesting site near the Devi river mouth in Puri district,'' Biswajit Mohanty of "Operation Kachhapa" said.

"Not a single trawler uses he turtle excluder device. This is a violation of the orders of the Orissa High Court and more than 1,10,000 turtles were killed the past 11 years," Mr. Mohanty said.

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