Odisha leads in conservation of Olive Ridley turtles

WORLD TURTLE DAY

- MANOJ KUMAR JENA, OP

As the people across the globe celebrate the 'World Turtle Day' today, the remarkable conservation of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles by Odisha has set a benchmark for wild-life protection and preservation efforts.

In fact, Odisha has secured a key place for turtle conservation, especially in playing host to one of the world’s largest mass nesting events, called ‘Arribadas’, for the sea giants at the state’s coastal stretches of Gahirmatha as well as Rushikulya, and Devi River mouth.

In 2025, Odisha recorded unprecedented nesting figures, reflecting the success of on-going conservation efforts. At Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, 6.6 lakh Olive Ridley turtles arrived for mass nesting. Similarly, the Rushikulya rookery in Ganjam witnessed a historic turnout with nearly seven lakh turtles nesting. A second phase of mass nesting at Rushikulya River mouth added over two lakh more mass nesting.