Orissa to set up centre to study sea turtles

The Hindu 20 Feb 09;

Discovered in march 1994 by the scientists of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and State Wildlife Organisation of the forest department, the rookery at this place is given much importance as at present there are very few places left in the world, where this type of endangared sea turtle breed in such a large number.

Berhampur (PTI): Orissa government has proposed to set up a research centre at Rushikulya river mouth to study the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles.

The proposed site in Ganjam district is one of the three major nesting places of the Olive Ridley in the State and thousands of them come ashore for mass nesting.

The high power committee on protection of the Olive Ridley had recommended setting up of the research centre and the government has proposed to establish it at Rushikulya mouth, B.K. Patnaik, Orissa's Chief Wildlife Warden said.

Experts including Priyambada Mohnaty Hezmadi and senior research fellow Chandra Sekhar Kar are preparing the project report on the proposed research centre.

"Setting up of a research centre is necessary to know the migration route of the turtles as well as their other activities during the mating season and nesting period. Although there are two other rookeries in the State — Gahirmatha and Devi River Mouth — Rushikulya Mouth has been selected as the favourable site for the proposed research centre," Patnaik said. "The site is very approachable and is one of the largest mass nesting sites in the world."

Experts, however, said there were no basic facilities to camp in the beach to conduct research work at present.

A record number of about 2.5 lakh Olive Ridleys in a 3-km stretch beach from Gokharakuda to Purunabandha have already laid their eggs, A.K. Jena, Divisional Forest Officer, Berhampur said. The mass nesting started from monday night and continued till thursday morning.

Orissa Governor, M.C. Bhandare had visited the rookery on Wednesday to witness the unique scene of nesting.

Discovered in march 1994 by the scientists of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and State Wildlife Organisation of the forest department, the rookery at this place is given much importance as at present there are very few places left in the world, where this type of endangared sea turtle breed in such a large number. Apart from the Indian coast, such mass nesting was observed in Costa Rica and Mexico.

Though it is considred as the second largest rookery after Gahiramatha beach, Rushikulya Mouth is yet to receive due attention from the government, experts said.

However, the government has agreed to make a budgetary provision for the protection of ridleys as well as for the development of the site, Patnaik said.