Despite an adverse weather condition due to severe
cyclonic storm Asani, lakhs of endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle
hatchlings have begun emerging from the egg shells at the mass
nesting sites of Nasi-2, informed Rajnagar Mangrove( forest ) and
wildlife division DFO Dr Jangyadutta Pati.
According to Pati, the hatchlings of endangered Olive Ridely sea
turtles have started emerging since Tuesday morning at the tranquil
sandy nesting ground at Nasi-2, located near the establishment of the
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at
Wheeler’s Island, under the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
The emergence of hatchlings from egg shells is expected to continue
for at least four more days. The babies broke out of the eggshells and
wandered around the sandy beach for nearly an hour before making
their way to the swirling seawater.
Notably, as many as 5, 01, 157 Olive Ridley sea turtles had come
ashore to the beach of Nasi-2 within Gahirmatha and laid eggs for
three days from March 25 to March 28. Although the species are very
slow moving on land, they swim very quickly in water and take
advantage of ocean currents to assist their migration. Unlike their land
based cousins, marine turtles have streamlined shells and paddle like
flippers that can propel them at speed of up to 50 km per hour.
As bright lights generally disorient the turtle hatchlings going to the
sea, the authority of the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) at the Wheeler’s Island has asked to mask the
bright light coming from the organisation to the sea to provide a
congenial atmosphere for the baby turtles to crawl into the sea water,
added DFO Pati.