Odisha coast gears up for Olive Ridley nesting season

The mating season of Olive Ridley turtles has begun near the Rushikulya river mouth in Odisha’s Ganjam district, prompting the forest department to intensify sea and coastal patrolling to protect the endangered marine species from poachers, officials said.

Berhampur Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sunny Khokkar said several pairs of turtles have already been sighted in the offshore waters, indicating that mating activity is underway and is expected to peak by the last week of December. Nesting generally begins around 45 days after mating, he added.

The mating season of the Olive Ridley turtles is one of the most important ecological events along the Odisha coast, drawing global attention to the state’s role in marine conservation. Rushikulya, located in the ecotone where the river meets the Bay of Bengal, is one of India’s most significant mass nesting sites for the species.

After mating in the sea, female Olive Ridley turtles come ashore at night to lay eggs. They dig flask-shaped pits in the sand using their flippers, deposit around 100 to 150 eggs , carefully cover the nests, and then return to the sea. The eggs incubate naturally in the sand for about 45 to 50 days , after which the hatchlings emerge and make their way to the ocean.

“We hope Olive Ridley turtles turn up in large numbers this year as well. Mass nesting is expected in the third week of February,” the DFO said.

Last year, Rushikulya witnessed a record nesting season, with over 9.04 lakh turtles laying eggs along a seven-km stretch of beach from Bateswar to Gokharakuda. According to forest department sources, 6.98 lakh turtles nested during the first phase between February 16 and 23, followed by 2.05 lakh turtles in the second phase from March 16 to 23.

To safeguard the turtles during the sensitive mating period, marine patrolling has been stepped up. Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) of Khallikote range, Dibya Shankar Behera, said two mechanised fishing trawlers from Andhra Pradesh were recently seized for illegal fishing in restricted waters.

The government has imposed a ban on mechanised fishing within 20 km of the coastline from November 1 to May 31 , as turtles congregate offshore during this period. The forest department has also held coordination meetings with local fishermen, urging cooperation during mating, nesting and hatching phases. Fishermen have sought an increase in compensation during the fishing ban period from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 .