Olive Ridley hatchlings begin journey to sea at Odisha’s Gahimatha

KENDRAPARA: Millions of Olive Ridley baby turtles began emerging from the pits at the Nasi-1, Nasi-2, and Eakakulanasi islands of Bhitarkanika’s Gahirmatha marine sanctuary here on Tuesday night. The baby turtles were seen starting their journey towards the sea.

The Olive Ridley turtles finished their five-day long mass nesting on these islands from March 5 to 10 March during which 60,6,933 female turtles had laid eggs.

A female turtle lays around 80 t0 100 eggs and returns to the sea, never visiting her nest again to take care of the eggs or hatchlings, said forest range officer of Gahirmatha Kapil Pradhan.