Close on the heels of record turnout of Olive Ridley turtles at Odisha’s Rushikulya river mouth nesting beach, the endangered marine animals have turned up at the Gahirmatha beach, world’s largest known rookery of these species, for mass nesting, a phenomenon otherwise described as ‘arribada’ (a Spanish term) for the past 24 hours.
“Olive Ridley arribada has commenced at Gahirmatha, the world’s largest rookery, following a record-breaking 6.37 lakh mass nesting at Rushikulya. This marks another significant milestone in Odisha’s ongoing marine conservation efforts”, Prem Kumar Jha, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) stated in the ‘X’ handle.
It is heartening to note that turtles have emerged for their annual sojourn at the nesting beach to lay eggs at the tranquil Nasi-2 islands beach of Gahirmatha marine sanctuary, said an official of Ranjagar Forest (mangrove) Division.
The natural phenomenon that commenced yesterday night is expected to last for at least a week. The perfect topography and profile of the beach, free from sea erosion, has proved to be conducive for turtles to virtually invade the beach. The large congregation of female turtles to lay eggs at the sandy beach is being expected this time, said the official.
Nasi-II beach comes under the jurisdiction of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) which conducts missile tests from neighbouring Wheeler Island. That’s why, it is a prohibited territory and outsiders are disallowed entry into the unmanned Island. Only forest personnel are deployed there for patrolling.
The forest personnel were the lone witness to the rare visual treat to watch with turtles crawling on the beach and triggering hissing noise and soothing cacophony. No wildlife researcher made it to the place this time to witness the rare natural phenomenon because of prohibition on visit to the place.
“The presence of forest personnel on the nesting ground did not bother the turtles as they maintained distance from the animals. Emphasis is on to provide privacy to the marine animals during the egg-laying process. On their seaward journey, they moved past the forest guards at hand-shaking distance”, said the official who witnessed the arribada”, narrated the forest officials.
It’s only the female turtles that invade the nesting beaches usually at the dead of night for laying eggs, the phenomenon otherwise described as ‘arribada’. After indulgence in instinctive egg-laying, the turtles leave the nesting ground to stride into the deep sea water. Hatchlings emerge from these eggs after 45-60 days. It is a rare natural phenomenon where the babies grow without their mother, added the officials.
An Olive Ridley usually lays about 120 to 150 eggs from which hatchlings emerge after about 45 to 50 days. But not all eggs remain intact as predators devour it. Besides, eggs are also washed away by sea waves during high tide. The eggs are incubated in the nest and grow, sans mother, to emerge as hatchlings.