Forest dept conducts conservation awareness programme at Purunabandh

Berhampur: With mass nesting of endangered Olive Ridley turtles expected to begin shortly near the Rushikulya river mouth in Ganjam district, the Berhampur forest division on Thursday conducted an awareness programme for local communities and fishermen at Purunabandh.Students and faculty members from the department of marine science, Berhampur University, and the department of zoology, Ganjam College, joined the programme, where speakers highlighted the ecological importance of the species and the need for community-led conservation.Experts said Olive Ridleys, an endangered marine turtle species that visits the Rushikulya coast every year for mass nesting, and the Irrawaddy dolphins, often sighted near the area, are key indicators of a healthy marine ecosystem.

They urged locals to protect the turtles and their nesting grounds during the sensitive nesting period.DFO (Berhampur) Sunny Khokhar, ACFs Sasmita Biswal and Dibya Shankar Behera, marine science faculty member Suchismita Srichandan, and Ganjam College lecturer Mahendra Sethi addressed the gathering. A signature campaign involving students was also organised to promote awareness about conservation.Official sources said sporadic nesting has been underway for several days, and thousands of turtles have congregated near the coast. Around 7 km of beach has been cleaned and fenced to en