Kendrapara: Over two crore hatchlings of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles have emerged at the mass nesting site ‘Nasi-2’, the world’s largest rookery of the species in Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, officials said Tuesday.
Rajnagar Mangrove (Forest) and Wildlife Division DFO Sudarshan Gopinath Jadhav said Tuesday that within a span of four days from April 29 to May 2, the hatchlings emerged, marking the culmination of the annual rendezvous of the marine species.
The hatchlings after a brief period on the beach entered the sea. This year a total of 5,12,175 Olive Ridley turtles came on shore at ‘Nasi-2’ for mass nesting and laying of eggs from March 9 to March 13.
However, officials pointed out that 20 percent of the eggs were destroyed as many turtles laid eggs at the same spot, in the process breaking those that had been laid earlier.
Also, crows and seagulls gobbled up a large number of eggs. Female Ridley turtles generally lay 100-120 eggs in one go and then they return to the sea. They lay the eggs in a haphazard manner so as to confuse predators about the location of the eggs. The hatchlings emerge after a period of 45-55 days.
Officials said Forest Department personnel are deployed on the beach to protect the eggs and the newborn hatchlings. Once hatched, the turtles dig their way to the surface and enter the ocean.
Many experts believe that once the hatchlings emerge from the sand, some form of imprinting on the earth’s magnetic field occurs inside them. This guides the hatchlings back to the same breeding areas when they become adults. It is one of Nature’s rare phenomena where the hatchlings grow without their mother. Hence their mortality rate is very high. Out of every 1,000 hatchlings, only one manages to attain adulthood, officials informed.
PNN