The Odisha government will undertake a satellite telemetry study to track the journey of Olive Ridley turtles, which have started arriving near the state’s coast to lay eggs.
The mass nesting of these eco-sensitive creatures, referred to as “Arribada” in Spanish, is an event eagerly anticipated by environmentalists.
The satellite telemetric study will provide the authorities with incremental feedback about the turtles’ movement. The study will be conducted with the assistance of the Wildlife Institute of India (WWI).
Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Prem Kumar Jha told The Telegraph: “The mating is yet to start. After 40 days of the mating, mass nesting occurs. During the mass nesting, we will tag the Olive Ridleys with the help of the WII.”
In collaboration with the WWI, the Odisha government will undertake a study using modern technology to track the turtles’ movements. “A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting chaired by chief secretary Manoj Ahuja,” officials said.
For the satellite telemetry study of the turtles’ movement, researchers will attach metal flipper tags with unique numbers to the Olive Ridleys. These manual tags will be linked to GPS-enabled trackers.
The state government will also conduct underwater videography of the turtles’ to understand their life circles, including mating and egg-laying. This videography will help the authorities to monitor their movements inside water bodies and identify any changes in egg-laying locations.
“They traverse thousands of miles in the sea to reach the Odisha coast, which remains a mystery. Where they go after laying eggs on the state’s beaches are questions to which both scientists and environmentalists have been trying to find answer for quite some time. The tagging is likely to unravel the mystery one day,” officials said.
Every year, Olive Ridley turtles come to lay eggs at various locations along the Odisha coast. The nesting exercise occurs along a vast stretch from Gahirmatha in Kendrapara to the Rushikulya river mouth in Ganjam district, covering a distance of nearly 300 kilometres out of the state’s 470km-long coastline.
