Question- In which of the following state the ‘Operation Olivia’ has been started?
(a) Odisha
(b) Maharashtra
(c) Punjab
(d) Tamil Naidu
Ans. (a)
Related facts-
- Indian Coast Guard have enforced laws and started operation Olivia to protect Olive Ridley turtles in Odisha.
- Operation Olivia was started by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), first in early 1980s.
- This operation helps in protecting Olive Ridley turtles every year when they start nesting along Odisha coast for breeding in months of November to December.
- Under it, round-the-clock surveillance is conducted from November till May through Coast Guard assets like Fast patrol vessels, Interceptor craft, Air cushion vessels and Dornier aircraft.
- Olive Ridley turtles are listed as vulnerable under International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
- Sea turtles found in India have been included in Schedule I of Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. They are also listed in Appendix I of Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora.
- Their mass nesting is called as arribada.
By- Yogesh Pratap Singh