The Odisha government has imposed a seven -month long fishing ban at Gahirmatha marine sanctuary to provide security to the endangered Olive Ridley Sea turtle for their annual sojourn to the sanctuary for mass nesting.  The ban is imposed along 120 km of the state’s 480 km coastline to protect the turtles. They are set to congregate in shallow waters. No fishing activities would be allowed within 20 km of the coast near the nesting sites. The ban will remain effective till May 31, 2016.

Did You Know???

• The olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a medium-sized species of sea turtle found in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
• Gahirmatha Beach is a beach in the Indian state of Odisha. The beach separates the Bhitarkanika mangroves from the Bay of Bengal and is the world’s most important nesting beach for Olive Ridley Sea Turtles.
• Olive ridley turtles are best known for their behavior of synchronized nesting in mass numbers, termed arribadas.
• Olive Ridley sea turtles feed on marine snails, smaller forms of fish, fish eggs, crustaceans and jellyfish. Algal material is also used as food by the Ridleys. Ridleys generally crush and grind the food materials before intaking.