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Time of India
15-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Satellite-tagged turtle completes 1,000-km journey from Odisha to Andhra coast
1 2 3 4 5 6 Kendrapada: A satellite-tagged Olive Ridley turtle has successfully completed a remarkable 1,000-km journey from Gahirmatha, Odisha to the Andhra Pradesh coast in 51 days, traversing the waters of Sri Lanka, Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu. The turtle was one of two female Olive Ridleys fitted with platform transmitter terminals (PTT) by scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in collaboration with the forest department. The turtles were released on March 17 during the mass-nesting period at Gahirmatha beach. "While one turtle lost its transmitter at sea, the other reached Andhra Pradesh waters on May 8, as confirmed by WII's satellite tracking data," said Prem Shankar Jha, principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF). The transmitter sends location data each time the turtle surfaces, helping researchers map migration routes, foraging areas, and nesting grounds. This tracking success follows another remarkable journey recorded in Jan 2025, when a tagged turtle (no. 03233) travelled around 3,500 km from Gahirmatha to Maharashtra's Guhagar beach. Dr. Basudev Tripathy, wildlife biologist and officer-in-charge at the Zoological Survey of India's western regional centre, Pune, explained that while satellite GPS transmitters cost around Rs 10 lakh each, researchers also use more economical flipper tags costing Rs 100 per unit. "Between 2021 and 2024, we tagged around 12,000 turtles at Rushikulya and Gahirmatha rookeries," he said. The tracking efforts have yielded significant results, with five tagged Odisha turtles being spotted in Sri Lanka in 2022 and two more along the Tamil Nadu coast in 2024. A new proposal to tag 100,000 turtles at Gahirmatha and Rushikulya between 2026 and 2031 is currently awaiting approval from the forest department. This year, Odisha witnessed record-breaking nesting numbers, with over 6 lakh turtles nesting at Gahirmatha marine sanctuary and nearly 9 lakh at Rushikulya beach in two phases.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Olive Ridley turtles choose mates of similar size, reveals new study
A study published in the journal Ecosphere by scientists from the Kolkata-based Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the University of Michigan revealed that olive ridley sea turtles—a vulnerable species listed on the IUCN Red List—prefer mating with partners of similar size. Some species of animals where males maintain a territory, are bigger in size as compared to females. In contrast to these animals, Olive Ridley females are bigger in size to accommodate the eggs inside their body. The Olive Ridley Sea turtles do not mate with random sized mates. They are mating with a preferred sized mate, the research finds. The research, conducted over two years at Odisha's Rushikulya rookery, one of the world's largest mass nesting sites for the species, involved capturing, tagging, and measuring 134 mating pairs. The study found a strong positive correlation between the sizes of male and female turtles, indicating size-assortative mating behaviour. 'This preference may be shaped by biological advantages,' said Dhriti Banerjee, ZSI director. 'Larger females tend to lay more eggs, and larger males may have a competitive edge during mating.' The team also recorded signs of intense mating competition, including bite marks on females and instances of multiple males attempting to mate with a single female. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo Olive Ridley turtles are important because they are crucial in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. They are a vital part of the food chain, helping regulate populations of other marine organisms, like jellyfish. Additionally, their nesting habits on beaches enrich coastal ecosystems and contribute to biodiversity. Their nesting on beaches enriches the environment by contributing to the nutrient cycle and providing habitat for other species. The research was led by Basudev Tripathy and Anil Mohapatra of ZSI, along with Anshuman Swain from the University of Michigan and Ashis Kumar Das and Sandeep Kumar Mohapatra from ZSI's Gopalpur-on-Sea centre. The study not only sheds light on a previously little-understood aspect of olive ridley behaviour but also underscores the importance of targeted conservation. 'There are many unknown aspects of the biology of olive ridleys. Monitoring and reducing high sea mortality is essential for their long-term survival,' added Banerjee. The Rushikulya rookery, discovered in 1994, has shown a steady rise in nesting females thanks to sustained conservation efforts. Tripathy, who has monitored the beach for nearly three decades, noted the positive trend: 'The number of nesting females has been growing due to our persistent protection and habitat monitoring work.' The need to protect Olive Ridley turtles and their nesting grounds underscores the importance of their role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems.
