Ganjam: Several carcasses of Olive Ridley sea turtles were found washed ashore on Haripur beach in Ganjam district, raising concerns over their safety during the mass nesting season.
Local residents spotted the dead turtles lying along the shoreline early Sunday morning.
Disturbing scenes of stray dogs dragging and feeding on the carcasses left villagers shocked and saddened.
The discovery has triggered questions among the people, as the mass nesting season of Olive Ridley turtles has already begun.
While the exact cause of the deaths is yet to be ascertained, doubts have been raised over the effectiveness of patrolling by the Forest and Marine Fisheries departments.
Every year, thousands of Olive Ridley turtles travel thousands of kilometres to reach the Odisha coast for nesting.
Their deaths have caused concern among environmentalists, who have also questioned the performance of agencies responsible for protecting the endangered species.
Sources said that many turtles die after getting entangled in the nets of fishing trawlers operating illegally in the sea.
In several cases, the turtles reportedly sustain serious injuries in the nets or suffocate, leading to death.
Although the government has declared a “no-fishing zone” to protect Olive Ridley turtles, strict enforcement of the restriction is reportedly lacking, putting the rare species at risk.
According to official guidelines, fishing is prohibited every year from November 1 to May 31 in the coastal stretch from Aryapalli to Prayagi to safeguard the turtles during their breeding and nesting season.
