Kendrapara, Dec 2 (UNI) Forest personnel have sighted nearly a dozen mating pairs of endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles in the Bay of Bengal near Ekakula, located within the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
According to Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary Ranger Kapilendra Pradhan, the primary mating season of the Olive Ridley turtles is expected to begin in the deep sea within the next four to five days.
In anticipation, authorities have intensified sea surveillance in the sanctuary’s prohibited zone to ensure a safe and disturbance-free environment for the vulnerable marine species.
To prevent illegal trawler entry and safeguard the turtles during their annual migration to the world’s largest rookery, the forest department has established 14 onshore camps and 2 offshore camps under the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
The Marine Fisheries Department has also enforced a ban on fishing activities within 20 km off the coast in the Bay of Bengal inside the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
The ban, effective from November 1 to May 31, 2026, is enforced under the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act (OMFRA) 1982, the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, and the Orissa Marine Fishing Rules 1983, ACF Manas Kumar Das of the Rajnagar Forest (Mangrove) and Wildlife Division stated.
UNI XC DP BM