Berhampur: Around seven lakh Olive Ridley turtles laid eggs at the Rushikulya river mouth during the eight-day mass nesting that concluded on Sunday. The nesting began on Feb 16. “Altogether 6,98,718 turtles laid eggs along a 7-km stretch of the beach, surpassing the previous record of 6.37 lakh in 2023. On Sunday, only sporadic nesting was reported on the beach,” said Dibya Shankar Behera, forest range officer, Khallikote. Sporadic nesting is likely to continue for some more days, he added.
The highest nesting was recorded on the fourth day, with 1,87,578 turtles arriving both day and night, sources said. The first day saw 11,390 turtles, while the last day witnessed 16,306. “We can’t rule out the second phase of mass nesting on the beach. The second phase of mass nesting was witnessed some years ago,” said Basudev Tripathy, senior scientist, Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).
He emphasized the importance of protecting the eggs from predators like wild dogs, jackals and birds to ensure a successful hatching period, which typically lasts 45 to 60 days. “If good climate prevails, a good number of hatchlings might emerge,” he added.
Behera said they divided the entire nesting site into 50 sectors. Around 180 persons, including local volunteers, are engaged to guard the eggs round the clock. The area was fenced with nets. “Now we have decided to re-fence the area and put up barricades to prevent the entry of predators and to keep the eggs safe as precautionary measures,” he said.