No Turtle graveyard in Orissa seacoast this season
People need to be sensitized

BY DURGA PRASAD DASH

The death-knell is ringing, but they know not where they are treading. Itis the same graveyard, where thousand s of their kith and kin had beenslaughters in the last few years. Yes, this season again the 480 Km Orissacoast will turn into a mass graveyard of Olive Ridley sea Turtles. Thanks to the callous attitude of our big bosses, who allot crores of rupees for the protection of these innocent sea animals, but we get the same story of large scale death of Olive Ridleys (Lepidochelys Olivacia). Since the discovery of Olive ridley mass nesting site in Gahirmatha (Kendrapada DT) during the 1970’s, the long stretch of Orissa coast became the hot favorite for animal lovers, environmentalists and nature lovers. In the later years two other sites were discovered along this coast, one at Rushukulya (Ganjam) river mouth and the other at Devi (Puri) river mouth. Besides these places in India, the only other nesting sites are Costa Rica and Mexico. Scientists still wonder how these animals come this part of the world covering thousands of miles in sea. Every year these rare annual ritual-animal lovers call it Arribada or en-masse nesting-occurs here. Tourists, animal lovers, scientists flock together to see their mating, nesting and egg lying of them along the beaches. But alas, every year they see thousands of olive ridley carcasses in these parts. An estimate says, around 50% of World’s Olive ridley population migrates to these places during October to May. They migrate from their feeding ground to these breeding grounds as both the adult and baby turtles get sufficient food in the form of marine fishes, prawns, tropical shrubs etc. Moreover they get a suitable ground for mating and laying eggs on these beaches.


This time en-masse arrival of Olive turtles has occurred in the Devi river mouth in the last week of November. Animal lovers hope that mass arrival will also occur in other sites, though a little later. It may happen in the second week of November. Any these endangered animals will stay here for the next five months .It is unique biological phenomenon and these animals come here, as they feel safe. But, to say the obvious fact, they are very much vulnerable in these places because of the callous attitude of us, the government. Unaware about all these, they come here and this year, it has begun. Unless we do something substantial, this season also thousands of Olive turtles will be killed. Every year the death toll rises above ten thousands, as per the records of last years. In the last decade more than 1 lakh turtles have died by various ways. The basic threats to their life are the human activities in their habitats, different environmental changes and others predators. Many human activities like the unchecked fishing in the no-fishing zone, using of trawlers and gill nets for fishing kill them. Similarly unrestricted movement of human being in the beaches during the seasons destroys the eggs. Moreover human activities disturb them. Sometimes the fisher folk kill the turtles for their meat and shell. Like human beings, stray dogs, eagles, jackals also pose threat to their eggs and young ones.

Environmental factors like the repeated entry of flood water into these estuaries changes the landscape which confuses the turtles and they move to hostile places .In 1998 cyclonic storm and beach erosion, the 10km nesting of Gahirmatha was shrunk to 3km.That divide the beach into two part as Nasi 1 and 2 Island.Thus the mass nesting did not take here in the year 1999,2001 to 2004.Similarly the Rushikulya river mouth is also under threat since the discovery of Olive turtle sites in 1994.Here the fluctuation of the nesting female is important to note. In 1995, some 60 thousands female turtles reached to lay egg, but in 1998 the number had reduced to only 8 thousands. The abundant casuarinas plantation in these beaches also poses a threat to the eggs as the long roots spread in the beach sand.

Like other things, the strong and illuminated lights near the sites confuse the young turtles and they move away from the beach, and this makes them easy prey to the predators. The lights of Jayshree chemical near Rushikulya site, the Dharma port lights and Chandipur Missile center near Gahirmatha, the lights of Puri beach disturb them, which reduces their number of arrival every year. Another threat, which is looming large on the lives of these turtles, is the drilling project by Reliance Industries for Hydrocarbon near the nesting sites in Orissa coast. The two spots are MD 10 and NEC 25.The first site is only 60km from the Rushikulya estuary, while the second is about 75 km northeast of Gahirmatha nesting beach at Nasi Island. These projects will obviously destroy this unique phenomenon of mass arrival of Olive Ridley turtles to India. Involve the local community Conservation of sea turtles is not possible without the help of the local community, the fisher folks and others of these areas. We must create awareness among them that the mechanized boats have not only endangered the sea turtles but also the livelihood of local artisan fishing community. Excess fishing by mechanized boats significantly reduces the fish stock in their parts. So these local people must be discouraged to use mechanized boats. If at all they use, they must use the Turtle excluding device in their boats. They must be sensitized the need of turtle for a balanced eco system in the sea. Moreover the breeding grounds must be declared as no fishing zone during the season.

As the law enforcing authorities, such as the Forest Department, the Fishery Department and the Coast guard show their inability to put a complete prohibition on all these activities, so the local fisherman can be employed as guards on daily wages. There must be night patrolling during the egg lying seasons. Government should also extend all kinds of help to NGOs like Ganga Maitree Youth Federation, Rushukulya Turtle Protection Committee (Ganjam, Orissa), which are working for the protection of turtles for some years. Projects like Operation Kachhapa must be encouraged more and more. Monitoring and satellite telemetry study should also be carried out during this season, which will reveal many interesting facts about these animals. There should be continuous tagging on the body of Olive turtles to know about their biology and origin of these animals. This knowledge will hopefully minimize the death of turtles in these parts. The coastal geomorphologic changes can also be studied by satellite pictures. Above all, we need strong sense of attachment to their safety as they are our natural guests, who come here reposing faith on our hospitality. Let us not allow a single death of our marine guests on our parts. Government, NGOs, scientists and all the people who love them must create a safe stay here this season. After all, we Indians consider the turtles as a form Lord Vishnu.