The Hindu : Thousands of Olive Ridley hatchlings emerge

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 20, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Thousands of Olive Ridley hatchlings emerge

KENDRAPADA, MARCH 19. Over 4,000 Olive Ridley Sea turtles hatchlings have emerged from artificial hatcheries set up in Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, the world's largest rookery.

According Rajnagar Divisional Forest Officer Anup Nayak, the hatchlings have begun coming out from the artificial hatcheries set up at Barunei-Pentha, Agarnasi, Ekakula and Judia.

The hatchlings, he said, had emerged from the eggs laid by the turtles on the sandy beach of Gahirmatha.

The eggs were collected earlier during the sporadic nesting, which occurred in last February.

Nearly 500 artificial nests were set up by the Bhitarkanika forest officials in the four hatcheries keeping in view the large scale destruction of eggs on the beach by the predators.

The hatchery project launched in 2000 has turned to out to be a great success, Mr. Nayak said.

Normally a female turtle lays 120-150 eggs in one go. The female turtle arrive at the coast at the dead of night and after laying eggs they returned into the deep sea water.

Mr. Naik said the hatchlings emerged from these eggs after 45-60 days and find their way to the sea creating a cacophony. It is one nature's rare phenomenon that babies grow without their mother. The DFO said the mortality rate is so high in the sea turtles that that one egg out of every 1000 eggs laid, ultimately gets hatched and the hatchlings survives to become an adult Olive Ridley. -- UNI

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