Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

Olive Ridley death riddle solved

A file Photo

Endangered: Olive Ridley Turtles are facing threat from trawlers.

VISAKHAPATNAM: The death of hundreds of Olive Ridley turtles along the Paravada coast in December 2007 had occurred due to failure of the trawlers to install the mandatory turtle excluder device.

Lab tests conducted at Andhra University and Veterinary Biological Research Institute, Hyderabad ruled out the largescale death of the endangered species due to consumption of toxic contents discharged by industries located nearby or on account of rise in the seawater temperature.

“We didn’t find any abnormal pollution levels. The washing ashore of carcasses was not a localised phenomena as dead turtles were found all along the coast up to Srikakulam during the year-end – the breeding season,” P.J. Vijaykar, Divisional Forest Officer told The Hindu on Wednesday.

It was confirmed that the turtles got strangulated and drowned in the nets of the trawlers. Turtles need to come to surface once in 30 minutes for fresh air failing which they die due to suffocation.

The turtles are named as Olive Ridley as their shells are shaped like heart. The fishermen facilitate their dragging in the nets for several hours and throw them in the sea later. They are found ashore two to three days later.

Mr. Vijaykar said Visakha Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had performed the post-mortem of one of the fresh carcasses in his presence and nothing could be found as it was in a decomposed state. Later the samples of kidney, liver and lungs were sent to Hyderabad. Even the Forensic Science Lab could not find anything, he said.

Pristine beaches of Visakhapatnam attract thousands of Olive Ridleys every year. Gahirmatha beach, part of Bhittarkanika wildlife sanctuary in Orissa is known for one of the largest nesting population of sea turtles in the world.

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