Kendrapara (Orissa), Apr 16: In an unusual event in the season, thousands of Olive Ridley sea turtles re-appeared at Gahirmatha beach in Kedrapara district for mass nesting this week, much to the surprise of conservationists. Nearly 7,000 turtles had ambled up the beach at two places - Barunei and Pentha - on April 10 and 11 to lay eggs, Anup Nayak, the divisional forest officer, Rajnagar Mangrove Forest Division, said.
The turtles generally come for mass nesting twice between December-end and mid-March after which they disappear into the blue waters till the next nesting. Re-emergence of the turtles for mass nesting at a belated stage like this year was not witnessed on the Gahirmatha coast before, Nayak said.
"This is a clear break from the past and wildlife experts are examining the possible factors", he said.
There was a considerable drop in arrival of Olive Ridleys for mass nesting this year with an estimated 65,000 coming to lay eggs at Gahirmatha between March 6 and 11 last. In fact, a bigger number congregated this time at the Rushikulya River mouth in Ganjam district threatening Gahirmatha's acclaimed position as the world's largest rookery for Olive Ridleys. In a related development, Olive Ridley hatchlings have began emerging from artificial hatcheries set up by the forest department at various sites along the Gahirmatha coast.
Nayak said more than 200 hatchlings had come out of artificial nests at Agarnasi, Pentha, Babubali and Jaudia.
The hatchery project was taken up during 2000 for protecting the eggs, which often got destroyed by predators or washed away into the sea during high tide. Bureau Report