The carcasses of 600 olive ridley turtles and two dolphins were recovered over a two-day period by forest rangers from the beaches between Hukitola and Eakakula in the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, northeastern India.
It's believed the turtles were killed by poachers, either by trolling or using nets in the open sea. Although fishing is prohibited within 20 km of the coast in Gahirmatha, fishermen often enter these waters to catch fish.
Already 380 fishermen have been arrested for violating the total ban that is supposed to protect turtles from November 1, 2018, to May 31, 2019.
What species do the dead turtles belong to?
The olive ridley tortoise (this is the official name in Italian) or Lepidochelys olivaceaThe Olive Ridley Turtle, or in English, is a marine reptile found in all oceans at tropical latitudes. Small (maximum carapace length 75 cm), characterized by its olive-colored, domed shell, it loves to roam the oceans, diving to depths of up to 150 m, feeding on algae, crustaceans, and jellyfish.
The species has suffered a sharp decline in recent years, primarily due to fishing (turtles get entangled in nets and suffocate) and the destruction of their coastal habitat, with the construction of large ports and oil rigs replacing female breeding grounds. Another danger is waste left in the sea, which the animal can mistake for food and swallow, resulting in poisoning or suffocation.
The species is classified by the IUCN as Vulnerable: based on the specimens that return to shore to reproduce, however, a recovery of the Pacific populations of the species has been estimated, while the Atlantic population appears to be constantly decreasing.
Gahirmatha is visited by these animals during the winter months, who come up onto the beach to lay their eggs. This is one of the most important nesting sites for this species. seriously threatened with extinction. Recently other deposition sites have been identified in Eritrea.
