Around 250,000 turtles have come ashore for mass nesting this year, say officials
Olive Ridley turtles at Rushikulya beach in Odisha. Photo: Ashis Senapati Around 250,000 Olive Ridley sea turtles have come ashore for mass nesting at the six-kilometre-long Rushikulya beach of Odisha’s Ganjam district in the last five days, a senior forest official said.
The mass nesting, known by the Spanish term arribada, started at Rushikulya on March 20, 2020, Amlan Nayak, the divisional forest officer of Berhampur, said. The turtles came ashore in groups of 5,000-10,000 each.
The animals had skipped Rushikulya last year, something that had baffled turtle researchers. Their absence was previously noted in 2002, 2007 and 2016 too. Around 300,000 turtles laid eggs in another rookery at Gahiramatha marine sanctuary in Kendrapara district recently.
Many turtles had laid eggs in pits dug by others, in the process, destroying thousands of eggs, said Nayak. Since the beach was littered with thousands of nesting turtles, many females had returned to the sea and would emerge after few days for laying eggs, he added.
The eggs normally take 45 days to hatch. Tiny hatchlings come out and make their way to the sea upon hatching.
Tourists have been barred from visiting Rushikulya due to the countrywide lockdown in place since March 24. But turtle researchers and environmentalists have been allowed to visit the nesting sites, Nayak said.
Around 25 forest guards and turtle researchers are now guarding the nesting beach and the sea to protect the turtles and their eggs, Rabindranath Sahu, a turtle researcher, said.
Sahu is also the secretary of Rushikulya Sea Turtle Protection Committee (RSTPC) of Puranabandha village near Rushikulya beach.
To ensure the turtles’ survival, 40-year-old Sahu and his team members of RSTPC collect the eggs and bury them in many fenced hatcheries, where they incubate safely for about two months.
A turtle can lay on average 80 to 100 eggs each time.
Every nesting season, Sahu drives away crows and jackals as they try to attack the turtles.
“Turtle eggs were sold in neighbouring villages for a mere ten paise per kg three decades back,” 67-year-old Saroj Sahu of Puranabandha village, said. But now, the villagers conserve the turtles with help from forest officials.
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
.png)
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.