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1 Crore Olive Ridley Turtles Hatch On Odisha Coast

  • Published
    22nd Apr, 2023
Context

At least 1 crore baby Olive Ridley turtles hatched on the Odisha coast in the last few days. It is expected that around 2 crores more baby turtles will hatch on Odisha's coast before the culmination of this year’s breeding season.

About Olive Ridley Turtles:
  • They are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
  • Major nesting sites in India: Rushikulya rookery coast (Odisha), Gahirmatha beach (Bhitarkanika National Park), and mouth of the Debi River.
  • Scientific name: Lepidochelys olivacea; also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle.
  • Presence: Found in warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans.
  • Conservation Status
    • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
    • Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972
    • CITES Appendix I 
  • Features:
    • Known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs. 
    • These are carnivores and feed mainly on jellyfish, shrimp
    • The eggs hatch in 45 to 60 days, depending on the temperature of the sand and atmosphere during the incubation period.

Breeding Season

  • Lakhs of Olive Ridley sea turtles usually congregate in the coastal sea of Odisha for breeding purposes every year.
  • It is believed that around 50 percent of the Olive Ridley turtles in the world visit the Odisha coast to lay eggs.
  • The breeding season of Olive Ridley turtles begins in November every year and concludes in May.
  • The turtles usually lay eggs on Odisha's coast between November and the second week of March. The baby turtles hatch in the months of April and May.

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