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News: Odisha has imposed a seven-month fishing ban to protect Olive Ridley sea turtles during their breeding and nesting season at key nesting grounds, including the Gahirmatha Marine Wildlife Sanctuary.
About Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary
- The Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is located in Kendrapara district, Odisha.
- It is is situated in the coastal waters adjoining Bhitarkanika National Park.
- Associated river: It lies between the mouths of the Dhamra and Barunei Rivers.
- It encompasses the territorial waters of the Bay of Bengal, along with adjoining mangrove reserve forests, accreted beaches, sandbars and mudflats.
- It is the world’s largest known rookery of the olive Ridley sea turtles.
- A rookery is a breeding colony.
- Sea birds, marine mammals like penguins, and sea turtles form rookeries when it’s time to breed and nest.
- It is part of the UNESCO-recognized Chilika Lagoon ecosystem.
- Established in: It was declared a marine sanctuary in 1997.
- Area: Its total area is 1435 sq. km.
- Fishing is prohibited within 20 km of the coastline in the sanctuary.
- It supports a wide range of marine life, including endangered and threatened species such as Olive Ridley turtles, dolphins, etc.
- It is famous for Arribada, a unique mass nesting phenomenon where hundreds of thousands of female Olive Ridley turtles crawl ashore simultaneously to lay eggs.
