KENDRAPARA: Emergence of millions of baby Olive Ridley marine turtles along the tranquil Gahirmatha beach has brought cheers to conservationists here.
Wildlife lovers are elated as hatchlings broke out of eggshells and began their seaward journey from the nesting grounds at Nasi-2 Island. About 1.68 lakh turtles had arrived at Nasi-2 nesting ground from March 20 to March 28 to lay eggs on the sandy beach.

Olive Ridley turtles have finally arrived at Gahirmatha beach in Odisha to lay eggs much to the delight of wildlife lovers and forest officials. An estimated 46,000 female turtles were spotted digging pits on the sandy nesting ground for laying eggs, forest department officials said. The number of visiting turtles is on a lower scale given the fact that over 5 lakh turtles had converged at the nesting ground here last year. Gahirmatha beach off the Bay of Bengal coast is acclaimed as World’s largest-known nesting ground of the turtles.

BHUBANESWAR: This year, an air of uncertainty hangs over the arrival of Olive Ridley sea turtles along the Odisha coast. With nesting grounds not available yet, wildlife experts are apprehensive about mass nesting (arribada) occurring anytime soon. Gahirmatha under Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and Rushikulya river mouth are the two major rookeries apart from the Devi river mouth where sporadic nesting takes place. However, this year, the beach profile is such that mass nesting may not take place soon at the sites.

Wildlife in India is facing a losing battle. The Orissa government’s decision to impose a seven-month-long ban on fishing activity in the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in lieu of the mass nesting of the Olive Ridley sea turtles has upset the fishermen living in this coastal belt.
The ban, an annual feature, was clamped in accordance with the provisions of the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act (OMFRA) 1982 and the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

Bhubaneswar: Greenpeace India and United Artists' Association on Monday released the report of a study jointly conducted by them on the measures needed to improve the economic conditions of traditional fishing communities around the Gahiramatha sanctuary.

The Chinese shipwreck off Orissa

BALASORE: Even as Union Minister of State for Forests and Environment Jairam Ramesh shot off a letter to Defence Minister A K Antony alleging violation of restrictions imposed by the Forest Department on test-firing of missiles during turtle season, DRDO officials claimed the organisation did not cause any harm to the turtles but works for their conservation.

They said this year, the highest 2.

An estimated 3.60 lakh Olive Ridley sea turtles have arrived for mass nesting this year at the tranquil Nasi II (South Nasi) beach of the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, according to stated DFO of Rajnagar Mangrove Forest and Wildlife Division, Manoj Kumar Mohapatra.

The arribada phenomenon of the endangered turtles occurred from February 26 to March 7 at the golden beach near the establishment of