Over 6.82 lakh turtles have laid eggs so far, breaking the previous record of 6.37 lakh from 2023, when nesting occurred between February 23, and March 2, said Berhampur divisional forest officer Sunny Khokkar. In 2022, 5.50 lakh turtles nested at the site.
A spectacle of nature is unfolding in Odisha. Around 3 lakh Olive Ridley turtles have arrived for their annual mass nesting, known as arribada. In a rare event, this year’s nesting is diurnal. These turtles play a crucial role in maintaining the marine ecosystem, and their return… pic.twitter.com/vcOrsOfTmW
— Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) February 19, 2025
The Rushikulya River mouth has become a key nesting ground for these endangered turtles, with more expected to arrive as the mass nesting is ongoing. Experts attribute the high numbers to favourable weather conditions this year.
Bivas Pandav, a senior scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun, noted that better climate has supported more turtles laying eggs. Basudev Tripathy from the Zoological Survey of India predicts a strong hatchling turnout due to the timely nesting, with eggs expected to hatch after 45 to 50 days.
Few photos from Mass Nesting of Olive Ridley Turtles at Rushikulya River Rookery @ForestDeptt @PCCFWL_Odisha @pccfodisha @Ganjam_Admin pic.twitter.com/X4x4XZk5FN
— Divisional Forest Officer Berhampur (@dfobhmpr) February 19, 2025
The government has installed fencing along a 9-kilometre stretch from New Podampeta to Prayagi, explained Dibya Shankar Behera, range officer at Khallikote, to protect the eggs from predators.
The Indian Coast Guard has also stepped up Operation Olivia, a conservation effort started in 1991, to safeguard the turtles and their nesting sites. According to senior scientist Anil Mohapatra, Zoological Survey scientists recaptured over 330 GPS-tagged turtles from 2021-23.
Typically a nighttime event, this year’s nesting is unusually happening during the day, offering a rare sight for onlookers. Indian Forest Services officer Parveen Kaswan shared a video of the turtles on February 22, calling it “nature’s extravaganza.”
Here lakhs of Olive Ridley turtles visiting Odisha coast for mass nesting. They come here every year after travelling for thousands of kilometres. This natures wonder is called as Arribada. pic.twitter.com/uIXkmxmlNa
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) February 23, 2025
The footage, first posted by the Berhampur Divisional Forest Officer, has gained over 40,000 views on X. Supriya Sahu, a senior official from Tamil Nadu, also posted about the event, reporting nearly 3 lakh turtles on Odisha’s shores and highlighting their role in the marine ecosystem.
Named for their olive-green shells, olive ridley turtles are classified as endangered by the World Conservation Union. Conservationists stress the need to protect them, with female turtles laying over 100 eggs each in pits dug in the sand.
