Kendrapara, Dec. 2 -- Forest personnel have sighted nearly a dozen mating pairs of endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles in the Bay of Bengal near Ekakula, located within the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
According to Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary Ranger Kapilendra Pradhan, the primary mating season of the Olive Ridley turtles is expected to begin in the deep sea within the next four to five days.
In anticipation, authorities have intensified sea surveillance in the sanctuary's prohibited zone to ensure a safe and disturbance-free environment for the vulnerable marine species.
To prevent illegal trawler entry and safeguard the turtles during their annual migration to the world's largest rookery, the forest department has established 14 onshor...