Olive Ridley mass nesting likely on Odisha’s Gahirmatha Beach within fortnight
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Gahirmatha is acclaimed because the world’s largest nesting floor of the reptiles.
Despite the erosion of Gahirmatha Beach in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, wildlife officers are optimistic in regards to the convergence of lakhs of Olive Ridley turtles on the nesting floor for mass nesting any time within a fortnight.
Notwithstanding the eroded bodily profile of the nesting seaside on the Nasi-II Island, a big turnout of feminine turtles for laying eggs is anticipated. The mass nesting is likely to happen by the second week of March, mentioned Bikash Chandra Dash, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Rajnagar Mangrove (Wildlife) Forest Division.
“The 2.6-km-long nesting beach has got bifurcated due to inundation by seawaters. Still, the shape of the beach is perfect for turtles to dig pits and lay eggs. The edge of the beach facing the sea is not steep and turtles will find it favourable to emerge from the seawaters to crawl on to the beach,” he mentioned.
Also learn: On the ground with Chennai’s Olive Ridley turtle troops
Strong southerly winds and temperatures ranging between 32 and 38 levels Celsius are conducive for mass nesting of turtles, the DFO mentioned, including that a big congregation of turtles is ready within the deep sea.
Every yr, the marauding sea is consuming up parts of the geographical boundary of Gahirmatha Beach in uninhabited Nasi-II Island, he mentioned.
Only feminine turtles invade the nesting seashores often on the lifeless of the evening for laying eggs. This phenomenon known as ‘arribada’, he mentioned.
After laying eggs, the mom turtles return to the ocean. The hatchlings emerge from these eggs after 45-60 days.
It is a uncommon pure phenomenon the place infants develop with out their moms, the official mentioned.
Olive Ridley turtles flip up in hundreds of thousands for mass nesting alongside the Odisha coast yearly. Gahirmatha is acclaimed because the world’s largest nesting floor of the reptiles.
Apart from Gahirmatha, these threatened reptiles additionally lay eggs at Rushikulya River mouth in Ganjam district and Devi River mouth in Puri district.
Around 7.30 lakh Olive Ridley turtles had laid eggs alongside the Odisha coast in 2019-20, with Gahirmatha internet hosting 4.5 lakh of them.
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