Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary

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Context: A record number of around 2,45,188 Olive Ridley sea turtles came ashore for mass nesting at the Nasi-1 and Nasi-2  islands of Gahirmatha marine sanctuary within Bhitarkanika National Park.

• Nasi–1 and 2 islands of 5 km is an ideal nesting strip for the turtles because of no presence of predators and human habitation.
• Rushikulya beachis one of the largest mass nesting sites for sea turtles
• Lakhs of endangered turtles congregate for mass nesting along the Odisha coast including the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, the Rushikulya river mouth and the Devi river mouth annually.

Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary

• Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is a marine wildlife sanctuary located in Odishaand is a very popular tourist attraction of Odisha in India.
• It is the world's largest nesting beachfor Olive Ridley Turtles.
• It extends from Dhamra River mouth in the north to Brahmani river mouth in the south.
• It is very famous for its nesting beach for olive ridley sea turtles.

Bhitarkanika National Park

• Bhitarkanika National Park is a large national park in Odisha in eastern India.
• It was designated the status of a Ramsar siteon 19 August 2002.
• The national park and wildlife sanctuary is inundated by the rivers Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra, Pathsala.
• It hosts many mangrove species, and is the second largest mangrove ecosystem in India.

About Olive Ridley Turtle:

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