There are certain creatures in the ocean, which visit seashore temporarily and form nest for breeding in a particular period of the year.
They make the sea coast their home. Such animals include various types of sea turtles like leather back turtle, green turtle, hawksbill turtle and olive ridley turtle.
The leather back turtle is the largest and rarest turtle, which has leathery coverings in place of shell. It usually lives in deep sea and feeds mainly upon jelly fish. Mainly they are found around in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The green turtle gets the very name due to its dirty green look of the shell and of its flesh. It frequents the shallow seas for collection of its food. The main food of this animal is marine algae and sea grasses. The Hawksbill turtle has its bird like head and beak. It is mainly found in coral reefs of the Andaman Nicobar Islands. This species usually come ashore during its breeding time.
The olive ridley turtle is the smallest sea turtle among the sea turtles of the world. It feeds on jelly fish, shrimp, crab and snail etc. It is the common sea turtle of Indian coast. The famous Gahirmatha and Rushikulya marine sanctuaries, besides Dhamara and Devi river mouths etc, are the rookeries of this turtle species.
All the marine turtles are declared endangered species. They are mostly killed for their meat, fat shell and skin. The eggs of these turtles are also smuggled. These are all declared as protected species under scheduled 1 of Para II of Wild life Protection Act 1972.
Excluding these sea turtles, those who have gregarious habits of coming to the sea coast, especially to the tropical sea-coast for laying eggs are terrapins and tortoises. They come under the group of reptiles which need protection and conservation. There are a group of species of sea turtles, which commonly live in deep sea and come ashore for fertilisation of their eggs, safe incubation and safe release into the oceanic habitat. But there are other species of second category, which live in ocean water, but do not have the habit to form nest and lay eggs. These species are Audhithia turtle, Ganges soft shelled turtle, Indian soft shelled turtle, Indian tent turtle and loggerhead turtle. Now these species are being either smuggled or subjected to massacre by the fishing devices of mechanized fishing. Again, there are species of this kind of reptiles which live in the fresh water and come to banks to lay eggs. These species are known as terrapins. Eastern hill terrapin, Kerala forest terrapin, and soil terrapin are found in the category. The above terrapins are prohibited reptiles under the provisions of Part II of schedule one of the Wild life Protection Act, 1972. Besides, there are other reptiles which live exclusively in land or swampy areas. They are known as tortoise. The reptiles with a horny shell and horny beak are known as chelonian. The breeding period of the reptile is post rainy period to onset of summer.
In the pre-merger period of States and Estates in Indian Union, the Zamidars or the Estate authorities of Rajkani Estate were selling the eggs of olive ridley sea turtles to the traders from Bengal. These practices were stopped after merger of the States and Estates in the Indian Union. Dangamal of this Estate was giving quite handsome revenue to the State from disposal of turtle eggs. This was quite adestructive practice.
There is a peculiar sea-creature known as the sea horse which has horse like head and tail like monkey and has an armoured body. This fish, which has a monster like appearance, is a curious creature. The female puts the eggs in the pouch of the male sea-horse. In the pouch of the father, the eggs are fertilised and hatched. The father gives birth to the little ones in a miniature forms. The sea horses always swim in an upright position. It takes rest in shallow coastal water, where sea weeds are present. It coils its tail around the seaweeds for the twigs and takes rests. As sources reveal, the marine sea coast sanctuaries are established in the North American coasts to attract the tourists-cum-learners to educate the people on marine-biology. In Odisha, we have two marine sanctuaries like Bhitarakanika and Chilika.
The beaches around the globe become the temporary home of certain species for certain period, when their breeding period arrives. The horse-shoe crab is one of them. But each female of the species drags a male with her to fertilise its eggs. This animal is not a true crab, but is closely related to spiders, scorpions and other eight footed animals. These crabs usually stay partly buried in the sea sands and adopt the life style of carnivore and scavenger.
The ocean life is very diverse and we should take steps to protect and preserve them. The horseshoe crabs are often called living fossils. Four species of horseshoe crabs exist today.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist. Tel no 9937460649)