BERHAMPUR: Thousands of Olive Ridley hatchlings emerged from the eggs and began their sojourn to the sea from Rushikulya rookery on Thursday, marking the end of the year’s mass nesting season.
This year, the rookery had recorded the highest mass nesting, with over nine lakh sea turtles laying eggs in two phases. The emergence of the hatchling is likely to continue for more than a fortnight and to ensure the safety of the baby turtles, forest officials, along with local volunteers from Samudrika Kaincha Surakhya Samiti (SKSS) have mounted protective measures.
Assistant conservator of forests and in-charge of Khallikote forest range Dibya Shankar Behera said, due to the record number of eggs laid, an equally high number of hatchlings are expected to emerge this year.
“In the second phase nesting, the turtles laid eggs on both sides of the mouth of Rushikulya. Local volunteers have extended a helping hand to the forest personnel to protect the baby turtles from predators and also their safe passage to the sea,” said Behera.
The entire nesting area has been fenced to prevent entry of predators such as wild dogs, jackals and hyenas, the ACF added.
“As per official record, around 6.98 lakh Olive Ridleys laid eggs along a five km stretch of the beach from Podampeta to Bateswar during the first phase of mass nesting from February 16 to 23.
In the second phase, from March 22 to 27, over 2.5 lakh turtles laid eggs along the same stretch. However, the nesting area extended to a 10 km stretch during the second phase,” said Rabindra Sahu of SKSS.
Since the hatching takes place in the night and the hatchlings are attracted by lights, the Forest department has asked industrial units, Gopalpur Port and civic authorities in Ganjam to dim the street lights at night to ensure that the baby turtles are not disoriented by the illumination.