Odisha: Mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles on the beach, 2 lakh turtles laid eggs.

Ganjam: This year too, mass nesting of Olive Ridley sea turtles has been seen on Rushikulya beach in Ganjam district of Odisha. According to information received from Brahmapur Forest Division, between March 14 and March 17, about 2 lakh female turtles came out of the sea to the coast and laid eggs in the sand. This is a natural process that happens every year, to see which scientists and forest department officials keep an eye on this coast.

What is the matter?

Olive Ridley turtles breed in the sea between November and January. After this, the female turtles keep the eggs safe in their body for some time and when the right weather arrives, between February and March, they return to the same shore where they were born. After reaching the shore, they make a pit in the sand with the help of their flippers and lay eggs in it and cover them.

Brahmapur DFO Sunny Khokhar said that this year also extensive security arrangements have been made in the nesting area. Regular patrolling is being done at the place where the turtles have laid eggs. Boat patrolling and monitoring has been increased in both sea and shore areas, so that the eggs and turtles are not harmed in any way. He said that like every year, this time too the process of counting and segmentation has been adopted as per the prescribed SOP, so that the correct number can be assessed.

According to the Forest Department, it takes about 45 to 60 days for the children to come out of the eggs i.e. hatching. Since eggs were laid in March this year, hatching is expected to occur in the month of May. Security and conservation activities will continue continuously during this period.

Rushikulya beach is considered an important nesting site for Olive Ridley turtles. The arrival of large numbers of turtles here every year shows the environmental importance of this area. The forest department and the local administration are working jointly to conserve this natural process. (Report: Shubham Kumar from Odisha)