Olive Ridley Turtles, the smallest of the marine turtle species in the world are vulnerable and disappearing fast from the face of the earth. However, unlike last year, when the turtles were conspicuously absent, year 2009 saw thousands of Olive Ridley Turtles making their annual journey to the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Orissa as females sought the warm eastern sands as their place of choice for laying eggs.

As confirmed by Mr. Siddhanta Das, conservator of forests, Bhubaneswar circle, “the mass nesting at Gahirmatha started on March 21 and continued till March 24. In these four days, around 1.7 lakh turtles had nested at the site”. Dredging activities in the nearby port, away from the nesting area has not affected the migration of these rare species in any ways.

It has been reported by forest officials, that the turtles scanned the serene Gahirmatha beach for quite a while before settling down to lay eggs here. Forest officials deployed in the area have ensured that the female species, which lay about 120 to 150 eggs each, are left undisturbed. The beach is protected and kept under strong vigil till the eggs hatch after 45 to 50 days and the small turtles commence on their seaward journey.

The turtles usually scan the place before settling down to lay eggs.