Berhampur: The much-awaited mass hatching of Olive Ridley turtles started at the Rushikulya river mouth in Ganjam district with thousands of turtle hatchlings emerging from the sandy pits and crawling towards the sea in the wee hours for the last two days.“Mass hatching takes place 50 to 60 days after nesting and started in time in the rookery. It is likely to continue for next 3 to 4 days,” said Sunny Khokar, divisional forest officer (DFO), Berhampur.Altogether 2.05 lakh Olive Ridley turtles laid eggs in the beach during their four-day mass nesting period from March 14 to 17. After laying eggs, the female turtles return to the sea without waiting for the baby turtles to emerge.Assistant conservator of forest (ACF) Dibya Shankar Behera said they have taken several measures to ensure safety of the baby turtles. Local volunteers and wildlife activists are lending a helping hand to the forest personnel to protect the turtles. “We have fenced the entire area to prevent entry of the predators like wild dogs, jackals, hyenas, etc,” said the ACF.Patrolling in the beach was also intensified to protect the baby turtles from birds and wild animals. He said the forest department has declared the entire area as no entry zone.The volunteers collected some turtles in the bucket for diverting from their path on the beach and released them into the sea. Around 40 volunteers have been engaged in it. Forest department has asked the nearby industries, Gopalpur port and civic authorities in Ganjam to dim their streetlights at night to ensure the baby turtles will not be attracted towards the light, added Behera.Several people and researchers have thronged the rookery to witness this natural wonder. “This has reflected the community participation in wildlife protection,” said Rabindra Nath Sahu, secretary, Ganjam district sea turtle protection committee.
