Turtle Research centre to come up at Rushikulya in Ganjam

The Odisha Government has decided to set up Olive Ridley Research and Conservation Centre (ORRCC) in the state with a cost of Rs.52 crore. This will be located at Rusikulya in Ganjam with two satellite Centers at Gahirmatha and Devi River Estuary. Olive Ridley Sea Turtle population in Odisha represents about fifty per cent of the world population of Ridley and about ninety percent of total Indian population of Sea Turtles. Odisha has the singular distinction of being the only maritime state of the Indian Peninsula, which holds three mass nesting beaches of Olive Ridley located at Dhamra, Devi and Rusikulay river Mouths. The near shore and offshore coastal waters of Odisha in front of above three river mouths provide ideal mating and breeding ground where the migratory Sea Turtles almost spend more than half a year during breeding migration. The need for a full-fledged and centralized National Sea Turtle Research and Conservation Centers in the State was being felt for a long time and therefore the announcement for establishment of ORRCC at Rushikulya has received appreciation from environmentalists and researchers.

Sources: Tathya.in, The Hindu,The Samaja