- During the ongoing annual breeding season on the east coast, hundreds of vulnerable Olive Ridley Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) have washed ashore along the coastline between Kakinada and Antarvedi in the Godavari region.
- Water from the aqua ponds is also discharged into the sea.
- This is thought to be one of the causes of turtle mortality.
About
- The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a medium-sized sea turtle found primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
- The majority of olive ridleys nest in two or three large groups in the Indian Ocean at the Rushikulya rookery near Gahirmatha in Odisha.
- The coast of Odisha, India, has the most olive ridley nesting sites, followed by the coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica.
- The IUCN Red List classifies the species as Vulnerable, CITES Appendix 1, and Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
Mass nesting is a unique feature.
- They are best known for their synchronised mass nesting behaviour, known as Arribadas.
- Females, interestingly, return to the same beach where they first hatched to lay their eggs.
- They lay their eggs in conical nests about 1.5 feet deep, which they dig with their hind flippers.
- Depending on the temperature of the sand and atmosphere during the incubation period, they hatch in 45 to 60 days.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/mass-mortality-of-olive-ridley-turtles-in-godavari-region-of-andhra-pradesh-raises-concerns/article66426895.ece