Odisha: Four tagged turtles return to Gahirmatha beach after 3 yrs
KENDRAPARA: At least four Olive Ridley turtles that were fitted with metallic flipper tags at Gahirmatha beach in 2021, were sighted at the Nasi-2 island during mass nesting this year.
Range officer of Gahirmatha marine sanctuary Pradosh Moharana said forest personnel spotted the four tagged female turtles during mass nesting from April 2 to 7 at Nasi-2 island. Around 3.01 lakh turtles laid eggs at the island this time, he added. All the four turtles were tagged in 2021 at Gahirmatha by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).
“Finding them at Gahirmatha after three years proves the tagged turtles return to the same beach to lay eggs,” said Basudev Tripathy, senior scientist of ZSI, Western Regional Centre, Pune.
He said around 3,000 turtles were fitted with metallic tags on their flippers, at Rushikulya and Gahirmatha beaches during their mass nesting in 2021.