Day Nesting after 2 Yrs as Mass Nesting of Olive Ridleys Starts at Rushikulya Rookery Coast

Berhampur: Olive ridley sea turtles have started their annual mass nesting on the beach near the Rushikulya river mouth in Odisha’s Ganjam district. After a gap of two years day nesting of these sea turtles has occurred at this coast again. According to wildlife experts, the weather condition is conducive for mass nesting to continue.

IFS Nanda shared a video of this rare day nesting phenomenon on Twitter and wrote, “Odisha welcomes its annual guests… The mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtle has begun at Rushikulya rookery… it’s happening at day time again, after a gap of two years. Swagatam.”

Odisha welcomes its annual guests. The mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtle has begun at Rushikulya rookery….
It’s happening at day time again, after a gap of two years. Swagatam🙏 pic.twitter.com/GXzzbQ0Pds

— Susanta Nanda (@susantananda3) February 24, 2023

During the past two nights, mother Olive ridleys have started to come out of the sea to dig up their nests in the sand to lay eggs at the beach stretching from Podampeta village to Bateswar temple under Ganjam block. Some of these endangered sea turtles are also having mass nesting in day time instead of night. After laying eggs these mother turtles return back to the sea.

To protect the Olive ridley nests and the eggs in them forest department has barricaded the whole area with nets. No outsiders including tourists are allowed to enter the region.

The whole mass nesting stretch of the Rushikulya rookery coast has been divided into 50 segments and each section is under the supervision of a team comprising Forest officials, volunteers, and local villagers. A control room has also been set up to monitor the entire process.

In 2022, a record 5,50,317 Olive ridleys had nested at Rushikulya rookery coast. Each nest has around 100 eggs. They incubate by the heat of the sand. Eggs hatch after 52 to 58 days.