Marine Turtle Newsletter 23:6, © 1982
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Marine Turtle Newsletter 23:6, © 1982
An article by S. Biswas, entitled "A report on the olive ridley, Lipidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz) (Testudines: Cheloniidae) of Bay of Bengal", has just appeared in Rec. Zool. Surv. India 79: 275-302 (1982). Among interesting points are that on the basis of stomach contents the adult is herbivorous and that many fully formed hatchlings are unable to get out of their nests on account of overcrowding and obstructions. The catch of adults from the Digha and the Sunderban coast of West Bengal is thought to exceed 20,000 per season. "There is a government ban for turtle catching which is not strictly enforced". But the author says that a total ban on exploitation for this species is not necessary as it is the most abundant sea turtle in the Bay of Bengal. He recommends annual quotas of turtle catch and egg collection, with the State Departments enforcing and supervising the exploitation. For reprints write to S. Biswas, Zoological Survey of India, 34 Chittaranjan Av., Calcutta 700 012, India.