1.65 lakh turtles lay eggs in Gahirmatha
The Pioneer. Bhubaneswar, 26 March, 2009
An estimated 1.65 lakh Olive Ridley sea turtles have congregated since last Saturday for laying eggs in the South Nasi beach under Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, said Rajnagar Mangrove Forest Division DFO PK Behera. The ongoing mass nesting is expected to continue for the next couple of days, added Behera.
Last year, ‘Arribada’ (the Spanish term for mass nesting) had not occurred in the sandy beaches of Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, one of the largest rookeries of the species, as turtle skipped the coast.
Nasi-I and Nasi-II beaches under Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary situated near the Wheeler Island plays a major role in the mass nesting phenomenon of Olive Ridley turtles, explained Behera.
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