Olive Ridley Turtles

The incredible efforts by these heroes have been instrumental in saving the lives of animals and birds on the verge of extinction.

Villagers of Velas in Maharashtra are on a mission to save olive ridley turtles.

Starting a month-long drive on September 27, the youngsters collected waste reaching Indian shores from countries like Sri Lanka, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia

"The beach is just 200 metres from my home. One day, as a child, I found the entire beach dotted with dead turtles, over 5000 or 6000 in number", says Odisha's Bichi Bhai. #Respect #RealLifeHero

These samaritans have set a remarkable benchmark for conservationists, and their work has been silently contributing to a rise in the numbers of the severely endangered turtle.

Last spotted in Mumbai in 1939, this year, the Great Bittern made a long-awaited comeback in the economic capital.

The Olive Ridley Turtle has been classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a vulnerable species.

Between the months of January and March, which encompass the breeding period of the turtles, these folks walk along the Devanampattinam coast at 3 a.m. with torchlights to spot turtle tracks.