Kendrapara: The mass nesting of endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles began at Nasi 2 island in Gahirmatha marine sanctuary Thursday evening. Forest officials Friday claimed that more than a lakh of Olive ridley sea turtles had laid eggs at Nasi -2, the favourite nesting place of the endangered species within the last 24 hours.
With DRDO prohibiting visitors, only a handful of forest personnel on turtle protection duty were at
the beach to witness this unique natural phenomenon.
The turtle nests have been counted through segment wise at Nasi -2 beach, said official sources.
The forest personnel have put up 2-kilometre fencing to restrict the entry of canines into the Nasi -2 during the mass nesting. Apart from this steps have been taken to guard the nesting grounds to protect the turtle eggs from predators like crows and eagles.
Among the nesting grounds in the state, Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is said to be the largest rookery for the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle, which is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act,1972 and accorded the highest protection like endangered tigers.
As many as 5, 01, 157 Olive ridley sea turtles had come to the golden beach of Nasi-2 within Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary and laid eggs within a span of three days from March 25 to 28 in 2022, Gahirmatha sanctuary officials said.
UNI