The Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) has decided to suspend its missile testing activities from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast for two months to safeguard the nesting of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles.
The DRDO, which conducts various missile tests from the island throughout the year, has agreed to refrain from any launches between February and March, which is the peak season for the turtles to lay eggs on the beaches of Odisha. The DRDO has also assured to switch off the bright lights on the island, which can confuse the hatchlings and hamper their journey to the sea.
The Olive Ridley sea turtles are one of the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world. They are classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and face several threats such as habitat loss, poaching, fishing nets, and climate change. Odisha hosts the world’s largest nesting site for these turtles, where millions of them come ashore every year to lay eggs in a mass nesting event known as arribada, meaning arrival in Spanish.
The DRDO’s gesture has been welcomed by environmentalists and wildlife activists, who have been campaigning for the protection of the sea turtles and their habitats. The DRDO has also been praised for its successful test launch of Prithvi-II, a short-range ballistic missile, from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur off the Odisha coast on January 10, 2023.
editor
10 December 2023