Berhampur: Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja on Monday witnessed the mass hatching of endangered Olive Ridley turtles at the Rushikulya river mouth rookery in Ganjam district, a spectacular natural event that draws global attention to Odisha’s marine biodiversity.
Ahuja observed baby turtles emerging from their nests and instinctively crawling toward the Bay of Bengal. The mass hatching, which began last Thursday, faced a temporary disruption due to a thunderstorm on Sunday night. However, many hatchlings were spotted making their journey to the sea in the early hours of Monday, officials said.
During his visit, the Chief Secretary held discussions with local forest officials and instructed them to step up surveillance and protection measures, especially ahead of the second phase of mass hatching expected in the second week of May. Senior forest officers were present during the inspection.
The visit came a day after Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati witnessed the same phenomenon at the Rushikulya coast, lauding the efforts of the forest department in preserving this globally significant nesting site.
According to Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Berhampur, the first phase of hatching is nearing its end, with millions of hatchlings making their way to the sea over the past five days. The event follows an impressive nesting season this year, with over 9 lakh Olive Ridley turtles laying eggs at the rookery.
From February 16 to 23, around 6,98,698 turtles nested along a five-kilometre stretch between Podampeta and Bateswar, followed by over 2.05 lakh turtles during a second nesting phase from March 22 to 27.
With the second wave of hatching approaching, officials are hopeful for a record number of successful hatchling migrations. Conservation teams continue to monitor the rookery round-the-clock to safeguard the baby turtles from predators and environmental hazards.
