1. Conservation of Olive Ridley through controlling Predators: The Olive Ridley is the most abundant sea turtle in the world. Thousands of females nest on specific beaches around the world. Orissa coast is one of sites for nesting. Research indicates that Olive Ridleys remain in small offshore congregation during the breeding season, and are not diffusely distributed along the entire coast Olive Ridleys are found at three known beaches in Orissa: Devi, Rushikulya and Gahirmatha, where hundred to two hundred thousand turtles nest annually. Every Year, Olive Ridleys arrive in Orissa’s coastal waters in October. After mating in the offshore waters of the mass nesting beaches, they come ashore to lay their eggs. Seven to ten weeks after the eggs are laid, the hatchlings emerge and return to the ocean for several years of pelagic life. Years later after traveling thousands of miles to distant feeding grounds, they return to their natal nesting beaches in Orissa and begin the cycle again.

There are large amounts of effort and funding by the government and civil society groups to ban, monitor and regulate fishing practices for conservation of this endangered species. However they are extremely vulnerable to human exploitation and animal menace. Wild predators like dogs destroy most of the eggs even before they have a chance to hatch. Further after the incubation period of 45-50 days when the young ones hatch and head back to sea, they fall victim to predators.

One of the major threats to sea turtles includes loss of nesting habitats due to growing population of stray dogs near the nesting beaches, which disorients hatchlings and inhibits nesting of adults.

Olive Ridley Turtle conservation is a global concern. Earth’s natural heritage must be maintained if future generations are to thrive spiritually, culturally and economically. The earth’s living natural heritage, our global biodiversity must be conserved to demonstrate that human societies are able to live in harmony with nature.

It is indeed important to address this problem from various angles and the State SPCA associated with animal welfare activities since long has been playing its role for controlling stray dog population, particularly in 3 turtle congregating (mating and nesting) sites at Gahirmatha, Devi, and Rushikulya river mouth.

The state SPCA aims at controlling dog population by sterilization of female dogs and thereby fostering conservation of the Olive Ridley Turtles. Steps for controlling of dog population along with participation of other stakeholders are required.

Recently, the state SPCA has  conducted ABC programme in Astarang (Puri District) area with support from Blue Cross, Hyderabad. Our experience says, this type of effort can be taken up by the State SPCA in order to control the dog population in the area.

There are a large number of field veterinary Institutes in the coastal area where Olive Ridleys nest eggs. It is a proven fact that sterilization of dog is more effective at controlling the population and is of course much more humane. The dog population can be controlled through sterilizing female dogs in a participatory mode with active involvement of the local community particularly Fisherman Societies, self help groups, NGOs, Marine primary Fisherman Co-operative societies, Youth clubs. The conservation of the endangered  Olive Ridley species can be well managed through Animal Birth control (ABC) programme. The state SPCA along with the Department of Animal Husbandry will implement the scheme through concerned District SPCA. 

  Non-human predation: A significant proportion of nests are subjected to heavy predation. Studies on the population dynamics of the Olive Ridley at the Gahirmatha rookery, along northern Orissa coast, have indicated that a large percentage of eggs laid during each nesting season are destroyed. This results from destruction of nests by other females during an arribada, nest destruction by wild pigs, jackals, and feral dogs, and by beach erosion. Feral dogs and wild pigs cause considerable damage to the nests of Leatherback, Green and Hawksbill turtles in Andaman.

2. Programme objective:

The basic objective of the project proposal is:

To control the population of stray dogs by sterilization of female dogs and reduce the destruction of Turtle eggs before hatching in the beach

The sterilization of stray female dogs will be conducted on area approach basis and proper records will be maintained. All relevant papers will be disclosed as per RTI act in order to maintain transparency. The sterilization of stray female dogs will be conducted in the locality itself by involving the community.

The specific objective is to reduce turtle mortality and safeguard the future of the species by concentrating in three more activities.

• To improve the facility for Animal birth control and sterilization of female dogs
• To support turtle conservation and protection of nesting sites from dog menace.
• To build public support and awareness of sea turtle conservation issues.

We will collaborate with the Orissa State Forest Department, the Animal Welfare Board of India, the Wildlife Society of Orissa, the District SPCA, the Animal Husbandry Department and other local NGOs/Fisherman Co-operative Societies to tackle this problem.

3. Implementing Agency:

The state SPCA will implement the programme with support from the Department of Animal Husbandry. The organization has acquired competence and previous experience of doing animal welfare activities and having administrative structure and managing committee to take up the programme.

The organization will arrange for a vehicle to transport the dogs from and to the concerned localities from where the animals will be picked up.

The department resource personnel will carry out the sterilization work (animal birth control). The facilities such as operation theatre, shelter for post surgery care will be put in place with existing infrastructure of the Department with some minor repair.

4. Location

The proposed project primarily aims at sterilizing the female dog and enabling the local people of Coastal beach area (Devi, Gahirmatha, Satabhaya & rushikulya) to conserve the turtle.

Programme activities include:

• Establishment of minimum infrastructure for surgical operation, pre and postoperative care of dogs.
• Organizing awareness campaigns to motivate the local community on reducing the dog population
• Training of village youths for dog catching
• Sterilization of female dogs and vaccination against rabies in the area.

The project shall be implemented by State SPCA, Orissa, Cuttack under the supervision of the Directorate of AH & VS.

5. Methodology:

The control of stray dogs by surgical sterilization of female dogs is proposed to be achieved in co-ordination with the local Panchayat Raj Institution and selected NGOs. The dogs can be operated in the Departmental Veterinary Dispensary/ LAC or by creating a temporary operation theatre. These centers will be further strengthened with latest instruments / equipments / appliances etc. in due course of time. The dogs will also be vaccinated against rabies

The scheme is required to be continued until the objective to curb the stray dog population is achieved. 
     2 or 3 young  persons  from each target village will be selected and provided with skills on dog catching. After receiving training, these people will be given some remuneration for bringing a female dog for sterilization. The Department personnel have the requisite skill to sterilize the female dogs. Stray dogs will be kept at the temporary shelter for 5 days after operation for  recovery. The neutered dogs will be returned to the areas they were picked up from.

6. Outputs

The implementation of Project will be to realize the designed quantitative outputs during the period of project

• 5000 dogs in different location will be sterilized during the year.
• 2 /3 youths will be trained in particular area for catching of dogs where the operation is to be carried out.
• The project will explore new initiatives for conservation of the Olive Ridley through multidisciplinary approach.

7. Programme Costs:

Approximate cost per dog for the ABC prgramme is given below:

Incentive to village youths for dog catching Rs.25/-
Food (@Rs 10 per day): Rs.50/
Vet fees per sterilization: Rs.60/-
Medicines for operations, ARV: Rs.250/- per dog.
Instruments Rs.50/-
Overheads (electricity, water, phone) Rs.15/-
Total cost: Rs.450/- per dog

Central govt. provides grant of Rs.360/- per sterilized dog. The grant does not fully cover all the costs listed above. So District SPCA will try to get food / cash donations or some operations done free of costs by Govt. vets.

(Rs. 360/- per dog * 5000 = Rs. 18,00,000/-)

During the first year 5000 nos of stray dogs will be sterilized under ABC programme in the coastal belt to protect the Olive Ridley Turtle eggs eaten by stray dogs with financial aid to be provided by Animal welfare Board of India.