Kendrapara (Odisha): The endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles have returned to Ekakula Nasi in large numbers for mass nesting after a gap of 33 years.
According to Manas Kumar Das, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) in charge of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, the last recorded mass nesting at Ekakula Nasi occurred during the 1992-93 turtle season.
In the past 48 hours alone, approximately 1,69,348 female Olive Ridley turtles have laid eggs at Ekakula Nasi.
On March 6, around 3,000 Olive Ridleys arrived at Ekakula Nasi for nesting, while on March 7, the number surged to 1,66,348 female turtles.
During the ongoing turtle season, a total of 4.34 lakh female Olive Ridley turtles have laid eggs at Nasi-2 and Ekakula Nasi beaches within the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary over the last three days (March 5-7), according to forest officials. While 2,64,657 turtles nested at Nasi-2 beach, 1,69,348 turtles nested at Ekakula Nasi.
Although Ekakula Nasi beach stretches for 8 kilometers, the turtles have utilized only 3 kilometers of the beach for nesting. Experts predict a record number of turtles may arrive this season, as mass nesting is expected to continue for another three to four days.
The previous record was set in 2023 when an estimated 5,12,175 Olive Ridley turtles came ashore at Nasi-2 beach within the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, laying eggs over four days from March 9 to March 13, 2023, Das added.
However, forest officials express concerns that Olive Ridleys may skip mass nesting at Gahirmatha in the future due to the shrinking Nasi-2 beach, which is gradually eroding due to constant sea action.
The return of Olive Ridleys to Ekakula Nasi after three decades indicates that these turtles prefer to lay eggs at the same beaches where they nested in the past. Favorable environmental conditions and suitable beach structures play a crucial role in their nesting behavior.
To protect the turtle eggs from predators, forest personnel have intensified patrolling and conservation efforts at both Ekakula Nasi and Nasi-2 beaches.
