lakhs of hatchlings of the Olive Ridley sea turtle species have begun emerging from their eggshells along the tranquil sandy beach at South Nasi under the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary since Saturday. The beach is close to the establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at the Wheeler’s Island.
The emergence of the hatchlings is expected to continue for at least three-four more days. The babies, after breaking out of the eggshells, were found wandering around the sandy beach for nearly an hour before making their way to the swirling seawater.
According to sources, the nesting site of South Nasi (Nasi-II) was littered with turtle nests as about 4.30 lakh Olive Ridley sea turtles had come for mass nesting this year from March 17 to 21.
Generally, the female turtles tend to move towards the beaches in large synchronized concentrations. They lay their eggs at midnight in 45 centimeters pits to lay eggs with their rear flippers and later deposit about 120-150 eggs. After laying the eggs in the pits, the female turtles cover the nests with sand and return to the sea in a zigzag manner to confuse predators about the location of the nests. Hatchlings emerge from the eggs after 45-60 days and find their way to the sea creating a cacophony. It is one of Nature’s rare phenomena that babies grow without their mother.
Eggs exposed to higher temperatures will become as females. Once hatched, the turtles dig their way to the surface and scurry to the ocean. It is believed by some that imprinting on the earth’s magnetic field may occur upon their emergence from the sand.
This imprinting is believed to guide the hatchlings back to the same breeding areas at adulthood. If the hatchlings reach the ocean successfully, they will spend the next several years dispersing in ocean currents. The Forest personnel have been deployed on the beach to protect the eggs and baby turtles from predators like jackal, wild boars, dogs and birds.
Notably, to protect species and its hatchlings, the forest officials have effectively enforced a ban order from November 1, 2012 to May 31 under the Odisha Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1982, Odisha Marine Fishing Rules, 1983 and Wildlife Protection Act, told Rajnagar DFO Manoj Kumar Mohapatra.