Forest personnel of Gahirmatha marine sanctuary stumbled across over a dozen of carcasses of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles on the beaches.
Rajnagar mangrove forest and wildlife division DFO Bimal Prasanna Acharya said the turtle carcasses at Gahirmatha indicate the Olive Ridley turtles have made an entry into the Bay of Bengal for the upcoming mass nesting season.
Generally, in the last week of October, they enter into the Bay of Bengal.
The Forest personnel have also sighted the turtles in the deep sea under Gahirmatha. It is expected that they would start their mating process very shortly, informed Ranger Subrat Patra. To provide protection to these turtles, the Bhitarkanika officials have imposed a ban order on fishing activities inside the sanctuary from November 1 to May 31 next year.
The Forest personnel will be assisted by the Coast Guard, Marine police and DRDO personnel of the Wheeler Island in stepping up surveillance.
The endangered marine species congregate for mass nesting at the coast between November and May. Among the nesting grounds in the State, Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is said to be the largest rookery. The Olive Ridley sea turtles are protected under Schedule 1 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and accorded highest protection like endangered tigers.
The Bhitarkanika authority has also been organizing awareness campaign to check the mortality of the turtles. The officials have set up 16 onshore and two offshore camps under Gahirmatha to protect the turtles and keep a close watch on the illegal entry of trawlers to the sanctuary area.