Protecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsProtecting the Ocean’s Ambassadors

India is home to 8 percent of the world’s recorded species

Over 45,000 plant and 91,000 animal species can be found across the country.

Further, natural resources are a critical source of livelihood for close to 275 million people in India.

Protecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsProtecting the Ocean’s Ambassadors

Much of the conservation efforts have focused on conserving natural resources in designated protected areas.

However, a significant proportion of the country's biodiversity lie in areas outside these protected areas.

Such as the Olive Ridley turtles.

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Protecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsProtecting the Ocean’s Ambassadors

Since 2009, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in India has partnered with the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India and the Government of the state of Odisha to conserve Olive Ridley turtles.

Protecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsProtecting the Ocean’s Ambassadors

Odisha is home to 80 percent of worlds population of Olive Ridley turtles.

Protecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsProtecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsWidely recognized as the ambassadors of the ocean, Olive Ridley turtles play a critical role in marine ecosystems.

In the coastal district of Ganjam, the Rushikulya river is one such location where close to 80,000 female olive ridley turtles came ashore between February and April 2012.

Protecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsProtecting the Ocean’s Ambassadors

Yet today Olive Ridleys are amongst the world’s most endangered species.

A healthy number of sea turtles points to a healthy and balanced marine diversity.

Olive Ridleys directly contribute to the commercial benefits received by fishermen. Since these turtles feed on jellyfish, fishermen get a better catch of fish which would otherwise be preyed upon by the jellyfish. Hence, Olive Ridley turtles ensure that commercial fisheries can flourish.

Protecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsProtecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsIts 10 p.m. on April 18 2012 and it’s an unusually large group of people that have gathered at the mouth of the Rushikulya river in Odisha’s Ganjam district.

We accompanied officials from Odisha’s forest department and local fishermen – to count, monitor and protect the nesting of Olive ridley sea turtles.

This is part of a three-month long exercise undertaken as part of this UNDP supported project.

Protecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsProtecting the Ocean’s Ambassadors

While each female may lay over 100 eggs in one sitting, the numbers of hatchlings entering the ocean is far less. Human activity, rising coastal degradation are some of the reasons.

As part of the project, officials work closely with local communities to ensure the eggs are protected.

Protecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsProtecting the Ocean’s Ambassadors

As we watched, in the light of a torch, flipper over flipper, sibling over sibling, a batch of 86 hatchlings surfaced.

Protecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsProtecting the Ocean’s Ambassadors

Each was about seven centimeters in length, with a head no bigger than a thumb.

The project had succeeded in protecting the eggs and the hatchlings.

They still needed protection as thousands of newly hatched olive ridley sea turtles made their way to the sea.

Protecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsProtecting the Ocean’s Ambassadors

Extending conservation to areas that lie outside of protected areas in partnership with local communities aim to reverse the trend of depleting environmental assets. Here, on the banks of the river Rushikulya, yearly efforts to protect the oceans ambassadors, help protect critical coastal ecosystems for generations to come.

Protecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsProtecting the Ocean’s Ambassadors

Photos © Maya Khosla, SOS Foundation; UNDP India 2012.Map © Odisha Wildlife Organization Partner: SOS Foundation

Protecting the Ocean’s AmbassadorsProtecting the Ocean’s Ambassadors