Olive Ridleys keep date with Odisha 

Olive Ridleys keep date with Odisha 

Context:

• Olive Ridley turtles have kept their date with Gahirmatha beach in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, known as world’s largest rookery of this endangered species, arriving just offshore for mating in large numbers.

Introduction:

• Offshore congregation of Olive Ridley pairs has been observed along 8 km of the Habelighati shoreline.

Facts:

• In 2016-17, around 9.75 lakh Olive Ridley turtles came out from the sea to lay eggs along with Odisha coast.
• Nasi II Island of Gahirmatha Sanctuary had alone hosted six lakhs.
• As per the forest department estimates, 20.22 lakh hatchlings finally emerged from egg shells in Gahirmatha.
• Central monitoring unit was set up in the Principal Chief Wildlife Warden’s office to coordinate with law-enforcing bodies for ensuring smooth mass-nesting of turtles.
• It has also been decided that rookeries would be fenced to protect the nests and eggs after the mass nesting.

About Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary:

• Gahirmatha marine sanctuary is a marine wildlife sanctuary located in Odisha.
• It extends from Dhamra River mouth in the north to Brahmani river mouth in the South.
• It is very famous for its nesting beach for olive ridley sea turtles.
• It is one of the world’s most important nesting beach for turtles.
• The 35 km Gahirmatha coast, which forms part of the Bhirtarkanika National Park, is the best to witness the mass nesting of females, a phenomenon called arribadas.
• The sandy coastline free of rocks and stones, presence of wetland, backwater and brackish water and mangrove vegetation is preferred by the turtles. Barrier island (Barrier ridge) called Ekakulanasi off the Gahirmatha coast is the main turtle breeding ground.
• The sanctuary is also home to variety of flora and fauna. Wild boar, barking deer, bear, leopard, crocodile, jungle fowl, samber and wild dogs are among the other wildlife seen in the sanctuary.

Location:

• Located in Kendrapara district, Gahirmatha is the lone mass nesting spot in Indian Ocean region and the only turtle sanctuary in Odisha
• The entire sanctuary area comes within the revenue district of Kendrapara.
• The Olive Ridley turtles travel across the South Pacific to breed on the coast of Gahirmatha.
• the sanctuary extends from mouth of Dhamra river in the north to the mouth of Mahanadi river in the south.
• The sanctuary forms part of Bhitarkanika national park
• Gahirmatha was declared a turtle sanctuary in 1979 by Odisha government after considering its ecological importance and as part of efforts to save the sea turtles.

Importance:

• Olive Ridley sea turtles migrate in huge numbers from the beginning of November, every year, for mating  and nesting along the coast of Odisha.
• There is decline in the population of these turtles in the recent past due to mass mortality.
• Olive Ridley sea turtle has found place in Schedule-I of Indian Wildlife (Protection)Act, 1972(amended 1991).
• All the species of sea turtles in the coastal water of Odisha are listed as “endangered” as per   IUCN Red Data Book.
• The sea turtle are protected under the ‘Migratory Species Convention’ and CITES(Convention of International Trade on Wildlife Flora and Fauna).
• India is a signatory nation to all these conventions.
• The ‘Homing’ characteristics of the Ridley sea turtles make them prone to mass casualty.
• The voyage to the natal nesting beaches is the dooming factor for the sea turtles.

CITES (Convention of International Trade on Wildlife Flora and Fauna)

• CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
• It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• It aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species in the wild.

About Olive Ridley turtles

• The olive ridley sea turtle, also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle,is a medium-sized species of sea turtle found in warm and tropical waters, mainly in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
• They can also be found in warm waters of Atlantic Ocean.
• Olive Ridley turtles get their name from the coloring of their heart-shaped shell.
• It starts out gray but changes to olive green when the turtles turn adults.
• Olive Ridley turtles usually nest during night time.

The olive ridley is classified as Vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), and is listed in Appendix I of CITES.

About Bhitarakanika National Park:

• The Bhitarakanika National Park situated in Odisha’s Kendrapara district sees an increase in number of visitors during September, considered an off-season.

Location:

• Bhitarkanika National Park is a national park located in Kendrapara district of Odisha in eastern India.
• The national park is surrounded by the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Gahirmatha Beach and Marine Sanctuary lies to the east, and separates swamp region cover with canopy of mangroves from the Bay of Bengal. Thus it becomes a vicinity of rich biodiversity.
• The national park was created in September 1998 from the core area of the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, which was created in 1975. The sanctuary is the second largest mangrove ecosystem in India.
• The national park and wildlife sanctuary is inundated by a number of rivers – Brahmani, Baitarni, Dhamra, Pathsala and others

Significance:

• It has much significance with regard to ecological, geomorphological and biological background which includes mangrove forests, rivers, creeks, estuaries, back water, accreted land and mud flats. Bhitarkanika National Park is the core area of Bhitarkanika Sanctuary.

Flora and fauna:

• Flora: Mangroves, trees like sundari, thespia, casuarinas, and grasses like the indigo bush, and more.

Fauna:
Crocodile nest:

• The park is home to Saltwater Crocodile, White Crocodile, and Indian python. King Cobra, black ibis, and many other species of flora and fauna.
• Bhitarakanika continues to be one of the best natural abode for the estuarine crocodile
• Apart from crocodiles, meandering water courses flanked by green mangrove forests and migratory birds flocking in search of prey in the swampy fields of Bhitarakanika are some of the major attractions
• The forest department has come across 80 crocodile nests in their wild habitats in 2017 compared to 75 in 2016 and 70 in 2015.

Other animals:

• According to the National Park authorities, mammals found in the place include leopards, wild boars, fishing cats, hyenas, sambar deer and Gangetic dolphins.
• Reptiles include olive ridley sea turtles, crocodiles, water monitors, pythons and king cobras.
• Around 166 species of birds have been spotted in the park
• Bhitarakanika is one of the richest storehouses of mangrove genes.
• Researchers have come across 11 of the 70 mangrove species in Bhitarakanika which were at an elevated threat of extinction around the world.
• Within the Bhitarkanika Forest Block near Suajore creek from the month of June to October. Most of the Birds are Asian open bill. Egrets. Black Ibis, Cormorants, Darters & etc.

National parks in India:

• National parks in India are IUCN category II protected areas.
• India’s first national park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, now known as Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand.
• In 1972, India enacted the Wildlife Protection Act and Project Tiger to safeguard the habitats of conservation reliant species.
• As of July 2017, there were 103 national parks
  National Parks

The term ‘National Park’ should denote an area:

• which is, set aside for the protection and conservation of outstanding natural fauna, flora, geological formations and natural scenic;
• in which hunting, killing or capturing of fauna, or deprivation of any wild animal of its habitat, or destruction and collection of flora, and weapons are all prohibited except for the improvement and a better management of wildlife therein, and on condition that these issues are handled by, or are under the control of, the park authorities;
• where also, grazing [of any live-stock] shall not be permitted.
• No alteration of the boundaries of a National Park shall be made except on the resolution passed by the legislature of the State (Wildlife Protection Society of India, 2003., Thane Riney, 1982).