The mouth of the Rushikulya River in Odisha’s Ganjam district has emerged as a major rookery for the endangered olive ridley turtles with over 6.82 lakh such marine species assembling for mass nesting, officials said on Sunday.

The mass nesting of the turtles in the Rushikulya River mouth commenced on February 16.

A spectacle of nature is unfolding in Odisha. Around 3 lakh Olive Ridley turtles have arrived for their annual mass nesting, known as arribada. In a rare event, this year’s nesting is diurnal. These turtles play a crucial role in maintaining the marine ecosystem, and their return… pic.twitter.com/vcOrsOfTmW

— Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) February 19, 2025

“Over 6.82 lakh olive ridley turtles have laid eggs on the beach so far, surpassing the previous record of the arrival of 6.37 lakh marine species in 2023,” Berhampur divisional forest officer (DFO) Sunny Khokkar said.

A total of 6,37,008 turtles had laid eggs in eight days of mass nesting from February 23 to March 2, in 2023, while 5.50 lakh turtles laid eggs in 2022, sources said.

As the mass nesting of olive ridley is yet to be completed, the number might increase, the DFO said.

Imagine and witness this natures extravaganza.

Where lakhs of olive Ridley turtles are visiting for mass nesting on Indian coasts. Here one at Rushikulya River under close watch of forest department. VC @dfobhmpr pic.twitter.com/43lQ2WTAOz

— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) February 22, 2025

Favourable climatic conditions are one of the reasons for a record number of olive ridley turtles visiting the beach for mass nesting, experts said.

“The better climatic condition this year has helped more turtles lay eggs in the Rushikulya river mouth, which is emerging as a major rookery for the turtles,” Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Dehradun senior scientist Bivas Pandav said.

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) senior scientist Basudev Tripathy predicts a good number of hatchlings likely to emerge as the mass nesting has taken place in time in the rookery.

ZSI scientists have recaptured over 330 olive ridleys so far as these turtles were GPS –tagged in the 2021-23 period, said Anil Mohapatra, another senior scientist of the surveyor.

Dibya Shankar Behera, range officer, Khallikote said the government has put fencing in the new areas as the turtles nested from New Podampeta to Prayagi-around 9-km stretch this time.

The fencing is made to protect the eggs from predators.

“We have taken utmost care to protect the eggs, which may hatch after 45 days,” he said.

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