KENDRAPARA: After a gap of 12 years, the endangered Olive Ridley turtles have skipped their annual visit to Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary here for mass nesting this season, leaving forest officials and turtle researchers baffled.
Forest range officer of the sanctuary Kapilendra Pradhan said all arrangements had been made at at Nasi 1, Nasi 2 and Eakakulanasi islands for the arribada of the marine species. “We are disappointed as the turtles avoided laying eggs on the beaches this year.”
He said in February, thousands of Olive Ridleys had congregated in the seawater of Gahirmatha after the end of their mating season to lay eggs. Now, most of the turtles have already left the shore, giving Gahirmatha a miss this year. Around 60,6,933 turtles had laid eggs at Gahirmatha from March 5 to 10 last year.
Pradhan informed that the Olive Ridleys had also skipped their arribada at Gahirmatha in 2014, 2008, 2002, 1998, 1997, 1988 and 1982.
Expressing concern over the development, environmentalist Hemant Rout said the arribada did not occur at Gahirmatha even though offshore congregations were formed. Coastal erosion, climate change, illegal fishing, untimely rain, increase of ocean noise and other factors may be the reasons behind the Olive Ridleys skipping Gahirmatha this year.
“But we hope the turtles will come again to their favourite nesting site here next year,” added Rout who is also the secretary of Gahirmatha Marine Turtles and Mangrove Conservation Society.
Notably, around 2,05293 turtles laid eggs at Rushikulya beach, another nesting site in Ganjam district, from March 14 to 17 this year.