2.4 Lakh+ Olive Ridley Turtles Lay Eggs in A Day Creating Record In Odisha National Park

Odisha coast has the world’s largest known rookery of olive ridley sea turtle, namely at Gahirmatha and the mouth of rivers Rushikulya and Devi. The spectacular sight of the mass congregation of olive ridley turtles for mating and nesting enthralls both scientists and nature lovers throughout the world.

The olive ridley sea turtle, also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world. They are found in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, but also in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. This turtle is best known for its unique synchronized mass nestings called arribadas, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.

And recently around 2,45,188 Olive Ridley sea turtles came ashore for mass nesting at Gahirmatha marine sanctuary within Bhitarkanika National Park creating a record for the highest number of eggs in a single day.

The turtles came ashore for mass nesting at the Nasi-1 and Nasi-2 islands of Gahirmatha marine sanctuary within Bhitarkanika National Park on March 25 night. The area is an ideal nesting strip for the turtles because of the absence of predators and human habitation.

Last year, around 3,49,694 turtles laid eggs from March 9 to March 23.

This nesting would continue for a week, as the eggs normally take 45 days to hatch. Following this, the tiny hatchlings will swim into the sea.

About 30 forest officials including forest guards are guarding the beach to protect turtles and their eggs. Besides this, the state government imposed a ban on fishing activities inside the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary from Nov 1 to May 31 to protect the turtles.

Watch the delightful phenomenon here.

Likewise, massive spawning of the rare species of Olive Ridley turtles has begun at the mouth of the Rishikulia in the Ganjam district as well. As per reports, Olive Ridley turtles from Sri Lanka come to the three coasts of Odisha every year for spawning. The turtles mate at the bottom of the Rishikulia River from November to the end of January. Then, from the beginning to the end of March, the turtles come and lay their eggs in the mouth of the river.

On the first day, 40,533 turtles laid their eggs in Rushikulia this year. About 1,14,305 turtles spawned on the second day. The turtle’s mass spawning site has been divided into 50 segments and necessary steps have been taken to ensure the safe spawning of the required staff and forest officials in Rushikulia as well.

Over years it has been noted that the turtles lay more eggs in the Rishikulia estuary in the Ganjam district than in the Devi estuary in the Puri district and the Gahirmatha estuary in Kendrapara district.