Hundreds of eggs of Olive Ridley turtles have been washed away because of the erosion caused by high tides under the influences of Cyclone Asani at the mass nesting site near Rushikulya River mouth in Ganjam District in Odisha.
Olive ridley turtles lay eggs along the Odisha coast stretching from Gahirtmatha marine sanctuary in Kendrapara district in coastal Odisha to Ganjam in southern Odisha.
Berhampur divisional forest officer (DFO) Amlan Nayak said, “Nearly 5.5 lakh olive ridley turtles come for nesting on the beaches in Ganjam district. Each one lays 100 eggs. Nearly 15 to 20 per cent of eggs have been destroyed. We are yet to count the exact numbers.”
Nayak said every year 10 to 15 per cent of eggs get destroyed because of various factors such as sea erosion and subsequently the eggs get exposed to various outside actors.
“But this year, the number of eggs destroyed is more because of the high tide caused by cyclone Asani,” said Nayak.
Wildlife activists, as well as forest officials, have expressed concern over washing away the eggs. Mass nesting did not occur at the Rushikulya river mouth last year.
“This time we are expecting more baby turtles to merge as a record number of female turtles laid eggs at the rookery,” Rabindra Sahoo, Secretary of Ganjam district turtle protection committee, said.
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