UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 14 March 2025

Home UPSC Current Affairs Olive Ridley Turtles and Their Role in Ecosystem Balance

Olive Ridley Turtles and Their Role in Ecosystem Balance

Olive Ridley Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are one of the smallest and most abundant sea turtles in the world.
They are known for their unique mass nesting behavior, called “arribada”, where thousands of turtles come ashore to lay eggs simultaneously.
These turtles play a critical role in maintaining marine and coastal ecosystems, making their conservation vital for environmental balance.

Olive Ridley Turtles are in the news due to their annual nesting season along India’s eastern coastline, particularly in Odisha’s Gahirmatha Beach, one of the largest nesting sites in the world.
Their conservation is crucial as they face threats from habitat destruction, climate change, and human activities like fishing and pollution.
For UPSC aspirants, this topic is relevant for environment and ecology, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development.

Indicator Species:
- Olive Ridley Turtles are bio-indicators of ocean health. Their presence reflects the well-being of marine ecosystems.
Nutrient Cycling:
- Their eggs and hatchlings provide essential nutrients to coastal and marine ecosystems, supporting food webs and biodiversity.
Prey and Predator Balance:
- As both predators (feeding on jellyfish, crustaceans, and mollusks) and prey (for sharks and other large fish), they maintain the balance of marine life.
Beach Erosion Control:
- Their nesting activities help aerate the sand, promoting vegetation growth and reducing beach erosion.

Habitat Destruction:
- Coastal development, pollution, and sand mining destroy nesting sites.
Climate Change:
- Rising sea levels and temperatures affect nesting beaches and alter the sex ratio of hatchlings (temperature determines sex in turtles).
Human Activities:
- Fishing nets (especially trawling) cause turtle deaths by entanglement.
- Plastic pollution leads to ingestion and suffocation.
Predation:
- Eggs and hatchlings are preyed upon by dogs, birds, and other animals.

Legal Protection:
- Olive Ridley Turtles are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs):
- Sites like Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary (Odisha), Rushikulya Beach, and Bhitarkanika National Park are critical for their conservation.
Community Involvement:
- Local communities and NGOs are engaged in nest protection, beach clean-ups, and awareness campaigns.
Government Initiatives:
- Fishing bans during nesting seasons and the use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in fishing nets to reduce turtle mortality.

Olive Ridley Turtles are keystone species that play a vital role in maintaining the health of marine and coastal ecosystems.
Their conservation is not only essential for biodiversity but also for the livelihoods of coastal communities dependent on healthy oceans.