Post News Network
Kendrapara, April 29: Baby Olive Ridleys have started to break out of eggshells, marking the culmination of the
annual rendezvous of these marine species, wildlife officials said Wednesday.
“Thousands of hatchlings of Olive Ridleys have started to emerge from their egg-shells along the tranquil sandy beach of Nasi II island under the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary since Tuesday, Subrat Kumar Patra, ranger of the sanctuary said.
After breaking out of their egg shells, the babies wandered around the sandy beach for nearly an hour before making their way into the sea, he added.
The officials expect that the emergence of hatchlings will continue for at least three-four more days. Besides, they have made adequate arrangements for the safety of the babies.
Forest personnel have been deployed on the beach to protect the babies from the predators like jackal, wild boars, dogs and birds, said Patra.
As bright lights generally disorient the turtle hatchlings from going into the sea, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at Wheeler’s Island have also masked the light coming from the defence organisation to the sea to provide a congenial atmosphere for the babies to crawl into the sea, he added.
The forest officials have
effectively enforced a ban order from November 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015 under the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act,1982 and Orissa Marine Fishing Rules,1983 and Wildlife Protection Act for the safety of the hatchlings.
According to Patra, the nesting sites of Nasi II and Nasi I was littered with turtle nests as about 4,13,334 endangered Olive Ridleys came for mass nesting this year.
According to turtle experts, hatchlings emerge from the eggs after 45-60 days and find their way to the sea creating a cacophony. Eggs expose from mean to high temperature become males.
In a nest, most of the hatchlings coming from upper portion of the eggs are generally males whereas those emerging from the lower part of the eggs become females.
Once hatched, the babies dig their way to the surface and move towards the ocean.
It is believed by experts that the babies leave imprints on the earth’s magnetic field after emerging from the sand. These imprints guide them to come to the same breeding areas when they become adults.
After the hatchlings reach the sea, they spend the next
several years in ocean currents, turtle expert Manoj Mohapatra said.
Although the species move very slowly on the land, they swim very fast in water and take advantage of ocean
currents which assist their
migration, he added.