Srikakulam: Threat to Olive-Ridley turtle

Srikakulam: The Olive-Ridley sea turtle face many threats to their survival along the sea-coast due to lack of protective measures. Turtles from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and other countries reach here every year before rainy season throughIndian Ocean.

The turtles hatch eggs mainly at sand heaps, location where rivers and rivulet water merged into the sea.

The eggs face serious threat from fishermen nets, boats, shore area pollution. Dogs, wolfs also eat the turtle eggs at the sea-coast area. Both forest and fisheries department officials failed to arrange proper protective measures to save turtles and its eggs at sea-shore areas in the district. Government need to declare sea-shore areas as protective zones.

Officials need to create awareness on importance of turtles and their responsibility to protect the species.

"We are taking help of locals to protect turtle eggs and a separate zone is required to protest the eggs, said fisheries development officer, K Ravi explained.