Ganjam: Mass mating of Olive Ridleys has started in the sea of Rushikulya rookery near Purunabandh village in Ganjam district.
However, environmentalists claimed that the mating of the turtles had got delayed in the current year.
It started in the second week of November, but the mating has been sporadically spotted 20 km from the coast during the patrolling, said Ranger Abinash Choudhry.
He, however, expected that towards the end of the month and the beginning of December, mating of turtles will happen in hordes.
When southern wind will start blowing, the turtles will move ashore for laying eggs.
For mating and nesting of Ridleys, the forest department has declared the area from Prayogi till Aryapalli along the coast as prohibitory area.
All the nesting spots of the turtles have been barricaded while coast guards have been deployed along the coast to ensure smooth mating and nesting of the endangered turtles.
The department said patrolling has been intensified around the river mouth. Environmentalists expect that the turtles will come ashore to lay eggs towards the last week of January or the first week of February.
However, they said high tidal waves are affecting the egg-laying process every year.
PNN