The shores of Odisha’s Ganjam district have once again become a haven for endangered olive ridley turtles. This year, over 6.82 lakh turtles have flocked to the Rushikulya River mouth for their annual mass nesting, breaking last year’s record.
A New Record in Mass Nesting
The mass nesting began on 16 February, with thousands of olive ridley turtles arriving daily. According to Berhampur Divisional Forest Officer Sunny Khokkar, more than 6.82 lakh turtles have already laid eggs. This surpasses 2023’s figure of 6.37 lakh turtles that nested over eight days.
In 2022, around 5.5 lakh turtles nested here. As the current nesting season is still ongoing, officials believe the final number may rise further.
Favourable Climate Behind the Surge
Experts believe that better climatic conditions this year have encouraged more turtles to visit the beach. Bivas Pandav, senior scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India, said the stable weather played a major role in the record turnout.
Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) scientist Basudev Tripathy added that timely nesting increases the chances of successful hatching. Another ZSI scientist, Anil Mohapatra, highlighted that over 330 GPS-tagged turtles, tracked between 2021 and 2023, returned this year, underlining the site’s importance.
Steps Taken for Egg Protection
The mass nesting spread across a 9-km stretch from New Podampeta to Prayagi. To protect the eggs from predators, the forest department installed fencing along the beach.
“We are taking all precautions to safeguard the eggs, which are expected to hatch in about 45 days,” said Dibya Shankar Behera, range officer at Khallikote.
This growing number of olive ridley turtles reaffirms the Rushikulya River mouth’s role as a vital nesting ground, offering hope for the future of this endangered species.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
