KENDRAPARA: Sporadic nesting of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles has started on Gahiramatha beach in the district, informed Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Bhitarkanika National Park Bimal Prasanna Acharya on Tuesday.
As many as 15 turtles have laid eggs in the last two days at Nasi-1 island within the limits of Gahirmatha, the world’s largest nesting site of Olive Ridleys.
The DFO said more turtles will arrive for nesting and Forest officials have been put on high alert to protect the reptiles and their eggs on the beach. To protect eggs from predators like dogs, jackals, wild boars and birds, Forest department has established hatcheries at Aagarnasi, Pentha and Babubali within the beach area.
The Forest guards are collecting eggs from the pits and putting those in the hatcheries which have been covered with plastic nets to prevent entry of any predators, Acharya said. The sporadic nesting of Olive Ridleys indicates that the turtles have arrived early this year. Last year, 6,0,4046 Olive Ridleys laid eggs from February 22 to March 3 on Nasi-1 and Nasi- 2 islands by breaking the nesting record of the last 16 years, the DFO said and added that mass nesting would start within a month.
“We have established 15 turtle protection camps including three offshore ones at Agaranashi, Barunei and Babubali islands to protect the endangered species in the marine sanctuary,” he said.
Recently, officials of Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) turned off bright lights at the integrated missile testing centre at Abdul Kalam Island for safe arrival of the turtles at Gahiramatha. The artificial lighting at the missile test range disorients turtle hatchlings and adult females in ways that can be deadly, the DFO added.
Meanwhile, Forest officials have seized 49 vessels and arrested 130 persons for illegally fishing in the sanctuary. To protect the endangered marine species, the State Government has also banned all types of fishing within 20 km radius of Gahiramatha Marine Sanctuary from November 1 to May 31. The Fishery department is providing a monthly compensation of `5,000 to `2,000 marine fishermen of Kendrapara district who are debarred from fishing in the sanctuary.