Rushikulya Mass Nesting site in Odisha

February 22, 2025

GS Paper III Environment & Ecology

Wildlife enthusiasts are thrilled as a record 6.5 lakh endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles have arrived at the Rushikulya beach in Odisha’s Ganjam district for mass nesting after a gap of two years.

Olive Ridley Turtles

Rushikulya Mass Nesting site

The Olive Ridley turtle is the smallest and most abundant sea turtle species in the world.
Named after the olive-green color of its carapace (shell).
Known for their unique mass nesting behavior called Arribada, where thousands of females gather on the same beach to lay eggs.
Distribution
- Found in the warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.
- Odisha’s Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is the world’s largest rookery (breeding colony) of Olive Ridley turtles.
Conservation Status
- IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I (highest protection).
- CITES: Appendix I (prohibits international trade).

Arribada

It is a unique mass nesting behaviour, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.
It is found only in the genus Lepidochelys which includes the Kemp’s ridley and olive ridley sea turtles.
Necessary elements of arribada: offshore winds, lunar cycles, the release of pheromones by females and the temperature of the seawater.

Threats to Olive Ridley Turtles

Human Activities: Poaching of eggs and turtles.
- Fishing activities leading to accidental capture in nets.
Habitat Destruction: Coastal development and pollution.
Climate Change: Rising sea levels and changing temperatures affect nesting sites.

Conservation Effort: Operation Olivia:

Initiated in the early 1980s by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
Conducted annually from November to May to protect Olive Ridley turtles during their breeding and nesting season.

About other sea turtles in India

Leatherback Turtle	Loggerhead Turtle	Hawksbill Turtle	Green Turtle
Largest of the seven sea turtle species. Habitat: Found in all oceans except the Arctic and the Antarctic. IUCN Status: Vulnerable Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act: Schedule I	Habitat: Found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. IUCN Status: Vulnerable Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act: Schedule I	Habitat: Found in Tropical coral reefs. IUCN status: Critically Endangered Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act: Schedule I	Only herbivores among the different species of sea turtles. Habitat: Mainly in tropical and subtropical waters IUCN status: Endangered Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act: Schedule I

Turtles vs Tortoises

Characteristics	Turtles	Tortoises
Shells	They have thinner, more water-dynamic shells.	They have more rounded and domed shells.
Habitat	Turtles spend their life in water	Tortoises spend most of their time on land
Legs	They have flipper-like legs or webbed feet to make it easier to cruise through the water.	They have ‘club-like’ forelegs and ‘elephantine’ hind legs to help them move around and carry the extra weight.
Food	Generally omnivorous. They eat jellyfish, seaweed, and so forth.	Generally herbivorous. They eat grass and leafy vegetables.
Life Span	They usually have a life span of 20-40 years.	They usually have a life span of 80-150 years

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