Olive Ridley Mass Nesting begins in Odisha

The Olive Ridley sea turtles, an endangered species, have started mass nesting near the mouth of Rushikulya River, in the early hours on Tuesday.

On the very first day, Over 8,000 female turtles have laid eggs near the three-km long sandy beach stretching from Gokharakuda to Podampeta in Ganjam District of Odisha.

The Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Berhampur, Asish Kumar Behera said, “The mass nesting has already started in the early morning. The weather and the condition of the beach were very conducive. This unique phenomenon was expected to continue for next few days”.

Several measures have been taken to protect the eggs. To prevent the outsiders from entering into the area, the entire 4.5-km long stretch of the beach has been fenced. Around 200 persons, including forest personnel, the wildlife activists and nearby villagers were engaged 24 hours to protect the turtles and their eggs, which would continue for 50 days, the DFO added.

The mass nesting of the Olive Ridley sea turtles was followed by sporadic nesting in the Rushikulya rookery, which is considered as the second largest after Gahiramatha.