Odisha: Around 800 Olive Ridley Turtles Found Dead Since Jan 2021

Odisha’s Gahirmatha sanctuary official revealed around 800 Olive Ridley sea turtles have died since January 2021 as the dead carcasses surfaced ashore the sanctuary and adjoining beaches. Environmentalist Hemant Rout stated the turtles die after getting stuck in fishing trawlers and gill nets. He added the fishermen violating the ‘fish beyond 20km of the coast’ guideline leads to such incidents. Moreover, he suggested the trawlers should be equipped with turtle excluder devices.