Operation Olivia
Context: Between November 2024 and May 2025, the Indian Coast Guard's 'Operation Olivia' protected over 6.98 lakh Olive Ridley turtles during their nesting at Odisha's Rushikulya river mouth.
Important Pointers:
Launched By: Indian Coast Guard (ICG)
Initiated In: Early 1980s
Purpose: Protect Olive Ridley turtles during their nesting season
Location: Odisha coast (Gahirmatha, Devi, Rushikulya beaches)
Turtle Type Protected: Olive Ridley turtles
Nesting Season: November to May (peak: Jan–March)
Activities Covered: Patrolling, stopping illegal trawling, beach surveillance
Tools Used: Interceptor boats, Dornier aircraft, Coast Guard ships
Legal Backing: Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; Marine Fishing Regulation Acts
International Obligations: Under CITES and CMS (Convention on Migratory Species)
Olive Ridley Turtles:
Scientific Name: Lepidochelys olivacea
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
CITES: Appendix I (highest protection)
Habitat: Warm tropical waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans
Nesting Type: Arribada (mass synchronized nesting)
India’s Nesting Sites: Odisha coast (Gahirmatha: world’s largest rookery), Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
Threats: Illegal trawling, marine pollution, habitat destruction, climate change
Turtle Excluder Device (TED): Mandatory in trawl nets but often not used
Ecological Role: Maintain healthy seagrass beds and coral reefs
Migration: Highly migratory; travel thousands of kilometers across oceans.