Despite a delayed start, mass nesting of Olive Ridley sea turtles has begun near Rushikulya river mouth in Ganjam district, the second biggest nesting site in the state for the endangered species.
Since yesterday, about 6000 female Olive Ridleys crawled out of the sea to the five-km long beach between Gokharakuda to Kantiagada near the mouth of the river, about 45 km from here and scooped out holes to lay eggs, Berhampur Divisional Forest Officer A K Jena said.
The turtles then covered the holes with sand before disappearing into the waves.
The delayed nesting---a month later than it was last year--- was, however, not "unusual", the DFO said.
Though the exact cause of the delay in mass nesting was not known, environmentalists, however, apprehended that the late nesting could harm the eggs due to beach erosion.
During summer, sea waves are high and wind speed is fierce causing rapid erosion of the beach which can cause the eggs to be damaged, a wildlife expert said.
"Whenever the mass nesting occurs in the second week of March, large number of eggs get destroyed", he said.
The eggs will take between 30-45 days to hatch. Over two lakh sea turtles had laid eggs from February 14 on the Rushikulya beach last year.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/the-good-earth/Olive-Ridleys-lay-eggs-on-the-Rushikulya-beach/articleshow/5691294.cms
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