Bhubaneswar: With an aim to ensure an undisturbed environment for the Olive Ridley sea turtles for mass nesting in Odisha, the State Wildlife Orgnization has prohibited entry of visitors to such sites until hatchlings are completed.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wild Life) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Susanta Nanda has issued an order in this regard today.
Chief Wildlife Warden, Shri Nanda has taken tough stand looking at the odd behavior of the visitors.
PCCF & CWW Odisha has written to District Magistrates and Superintendent of Police of the Coastal Districts in this regard.
Shri Nanda has directed RCCF Bhubaneswar and Berhampur to ensure this while asking the DFOs to take help of them in enforcing action.
PCCF Shri Nanda has also directed to demarcate by wire mesh from a distance and allow visitors to see, if at all it is necessary. No lights will be allowed, pointed out CWW Odisha.
In his order, Shri Nanda said, “It is seen that visitors going to mass nesting sites of Olive Ridley sea turtles for the purpose of observing the phenomena of nesting and hatchling emergence are using bright lights for observation and for photography /videography of the turtles.”
In some cases, inappropriate behaviour of visitors are observed. These activities together with crowding of the nesting sites would be disturbing the normal process of turtle nesting and hatchling emergence to great extent, he noted.
The PCCF said that Olive Ridley sea turtle is protected under Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and the aforementioned activities come under the definition of ‘hunting’ as per provisions of Section-2(16) prohibited Under Section-9 of the said Act.
“In view of the above, it is ordered that, all the mass nesting sites of Olive Ridley sea turtles shall be closed for the visitors forthwith during the period of nesting till emergence of hatchlings is completed,” he ordered.
Olive Ridley Sea Turtles are playing an important role from the tourism point of view of our state. Every year, lakhs of olive ridley turtles come to the banks of the River Gahirmatha Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhitarkanika Sanctuary, Devi River Mouth, Balukhand Wildlife Sanctuary, Rushikulya Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha to lay eggs.
The ban on fishing within the mass nesting sites on the coast for the protection of turtles has been imposed from November 1 till May 30, 2024. So, the PCCF Wildlife had earlier appealed to the people and fishermen not to violate the ban order.
Last year, 11.50 lakh turtles arrived to Odisha coast for mass nesting. Over 5.12 lakh turtles laid eggs off the Gahirmatha coast from 9 to 13 March, 2023, and around 6.37 lakh turtles at Rushikulya between 23 February and 2 March. After the mass egg donation, the eggs were cordoned off for protection and a strict vigil was kept, sources said.
Besides, the State Government has enhanced the compensation provided to the fishermen during the ban period from Rs 7,500 to Rs 15,000.