More than 2.40 lakh turtles have laid eggs during the last three days during the ongoing mass nesting (Arribada) at Nasi-I and Nasi-II beaches, informed Ranger of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary Subrat Kumar Patra.
Patra said while 12,000 Olive Ridley sea turtles laid eggs at Nasi-I beach on Friday, 1.69 lakh Olive Ridley sea turtles laid eggs at Nasi-II within 24 hours. During the day hour, the turtles remain at coast line due to heat while the turtles are coming out in large numbers for laying eggs during the evening.
Turtle nests have been counted through segment wise at the Nasi-II beach. Each segment has been formed with 20 meter width. As many as 16 segments have been made at the Nasi II beach and a forest official has been deployed to count the turtle nest in each segment in every hour, said Patra.