Kendrapara: Forest personnel have sighted about a thousand mating pairs of Olive Ridley sea turtles near Ekakula and Habalikhati in Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.
Surveillance has been stepped up in the prohibited zone of the scnatuary to ensure safety of the marine species, said Srirampada Arabinda Mishra, ACF-cum-ranger-in-charge.
The mating season of the Olive Ridley Turtles has just started and it is expected to continue till December fourth week, official sources added.
Female Olive Ridleys lay 100-120 eggs at one go. They arrive at the coast at night and after laying eggs go back into deep sea.
Hatchlings emerge from the eggs after 45-60 days and find their way to the sea. It is one of nature’s rare phenomena where babies grow up without mothers.
Olive Ridleys congregate en masse for nesting on the Odisha coast between February and May.
Gahirmatha is the largest rookery of the species which is protected by Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
During the breeding season turtles migrate to coastal breeding grounds and mating occurs offshore.
The mortality rate of the endangered species is so high that only one egg out of every 1,000 eggs laid ultimately hatches, and the hatchlings survive to become an adult.
The Indian Coast Guard unit stationed at Paradip has launched ‘Operation Olivia’ from November 1 to protect the turtles.
Indian Coast Guard has deployed a ship and aircraft to stop fishing trawlers from entering the sanctuary.
Meanwhile, to protect the turtles during their mating and forthcoming nesting season, Bhitarkanika authorities have requested DRDO personnel stationed on Wheeler Island to step up surveillance.
Forest officials have set up two offshore camps at Babubali and Agarnasi. Fourteen onshore camps have also been set up from Dhamara to Devi Mouth to prevent trawlers from entering the sanctuary.
PNN