While India Is On Lockdown, Olive Ridley Turtles Start Nesting On Odisha Coast
Olive Ridley sea turtles have come ashore for mass nesting at the six-kilometre-long Rushikulya beach of Odishas Ganjam district in the last five days. These rare sea turtles are renowned for their mass nesting and come to Indian shores every nesting season. Nearly 50 per cent of the world population of these rare turtles come to Odisha coast for nesting. Forest Department also claimed that this year saw the highest number of turtles.
From pollution levels reducing drastically to now marine life being able to breathe in peace, it seems like the coronavirus lockdown is seriously helping nature recoup.
Twitter/@_harikrishnan_s
Olive Ridley sea turtles have come ashore for mass nesting at the six-kilometre-long Rushikulya beach of Odisha¡¯s Ganjam district in the last five days and it's owing to the coronavirus lockdown.
These rare sea turtles are renowned for their mass nesting and come to Indian shores and Odisha¡¯s coast every nesting season; the areas are their largest nesting site in the region. According to the Odisha Wildlife Organisation ( OWO), nearly 50 per cent of the world population of these rare turtles come to Odisha¡¯s coast for nesting.
On March 22 at around 2 am, 2,000 female Olive Ridleys started coming out of the sea to the beach, Berhampur Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Amlan Nayak, told The Hindu.
ARRIBADA ~Spanish Word - means 'Arrival' ?
¡ª Ankit Kumar, IFS (@AnkitKumar_IFS) March 26, 2020
Refers to mass-nesting event when 1000s of Turtles come ashore at the same time to lay eggs on the same beach.
Interestingly, females return to the very same beach from where they first hatched, to lay their eggs.
?? Olive Ridley Turtle pic.twitter.com/dvzslqA8zW
The female turtles reportedly return to the same beach from where they hatched, to lay their eggs. And the coast of Odisha is the largest mass nesting site for them.
According to the Forest Department, over 2,78,502 mother turtles became a part of the day-time nesting activity. Over 72,142 Olive Ridleys have arrived at the beach to dig nests and lay eggs, since Tuesday morning.
Thousands of olive ridley turtles nesting on the beaches of Odisha.
¡ª Dr. Ashley Jacob (@DrAshJac) March 26, 2020
Their normal predators (humans) are in quarantine.
This season, their numbers will explode in the oceans.
There is a silver lining in this dark cloud after all. pic.twitter.com/l0DMLbGp4l
According to The Hindu report, each nest dug up by the turtles, on an average, contains around 100 eggs. The incubation period is around 45 days.
Reuters
Forest Department also claimed that this year saw the highest number of turtles, "Every alternate year is either a bad year or a good year. However, in the last two years we have seen a phenomenal increase in nesting numbers. This year we have estimated that at least 4.75 lakh turtles came on to nest on Rushikulya beach."
Mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles in Odisha coast while nation is at 21 day lockdown. #Nature #21daylockdown #pandemia pic.twitter.com/z7ihzOYu0E
¡ª Harikrishnan S (@_harikrishnan_s) March 26, 2020
Tourists have been barred from visiting Rushikulya due to the countrywide lockdown in place since March 24. But turtle researchers and environmentalists have been allowed to visit the nesting sites.
While mass nesting at Gahirmatha is over, it is continuing at Rushikulya. It is estimated that around six crore eggs will be laid this year.
