Odisha plans regulated Olive Ridley tourism

The Odisha government has chalked out plans to promote regulated eco-tourism to the mass-nesting sites of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles. The government has also decided to web-cast arribada (mass nesting) of the turtles.“Odisha is home to 50 per cent of the total world's population of Olive Ridleys and about 90 per cent of Indian population of sea turtles. The government will develop minimum infrastructure like proper road communications, small huts and tents near the turtle nesting sites at the mouth of Devi and Rusikulya rivers, the two major nesting grounds of the Olive Ridley. The Gahirmatha marine sanctuary is the largest rookery of the Olive Ridley turtles. “But Gahiramatha beach is a protected area and is close to Wheeler island, the missile testing centre of Defence Research and Development Organisaiton, because of which we kept Gahiramatha out of eco-tourism area,” said Jugal Kishor Mohapatra, chief secretary of Odisha.

The number of mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles in Odisha coast has increased constantly over the years,” said Chandrasekhar Kar, a turtle biologist and the research officer of forest and wildlife department of Odisha (see table).

Solitary nesting and mortality of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles along the Ganjam Coast of Odisha, India