Record-Breaking Mass Nesting of Olive Ridley Turtles at Rushikulya Beach

In a spectacular natural event, nearly 700,000 Olive Ridley turtles have laid eggs at the Rushikulya rookery in Odisha’s Ganjam district during the eight-day arribada (Spanish for mass nesting) that concluded on February 23, 2025. This marks a record-breaking number, especially significant as the endangered marine species had skipped nesting at the beach the previous year.

A Record-Breaking Arribada

The mass nesting at Rushikulya began at a moderate pace on February 16, gradually witnessing a surge in the number of turtles arriving onshore to lay eggs. According to Sunny Khokkar, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Berhampur, a total of 698,718 Olive Ridley turtles had nested by February 23, surpassing the previous record of 637,000 in 2023. Experts predict that a second phase of nesting might also occur.

Historical Context

The arribada in 2023 took place between February 23 and March 2, with around 550,317 turtles nesting in 2022 between March 27 and April 4. The highest-ever recorded mass nesting in India was in 2001, when approximately 741,000 turtles laid eggs at Gahirmatha, another major rookery in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, as noted by Basudev Tripathy, a senior scientist at the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).

While mass nesting has commenced in Rushikulya, reports indicate that Gahirmatha rookery is yet to witness nesting activity this year.

Favorable Conditions for Nesting

Experts attribute this year’s record numbers to better climatic conditions and improved beach maintenance. Bivash Pandav, a senior scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, highlighted that such favorable conditions have significantly contributed to the increase in nesting.

Extended Nesting Duration and Area

This year, an unusual phenomenon was observed—daytime nesting continued for three to four days, a rarity in Rushikulya’s history. Rabindra Nath Sahu, Secretary of the Ganjam District Sea Turtle Protection Committee, noted that in previous years, daytime nesting typically lasted for only one or two days. Additionally, the nesting area expanded from five kilometers to nine kilometers, indicating improved environmental conditions conducive to nesting.

Protection Measures to Ensure Safe Hatching

The conservation efforts to safeguard the Olive Ridley turtle eggs have been stepped up significantly this year. Dibya Shankar Behera, Range Officer at Khallikote, stated that several precautions have been taken to protect the eggs from predators, including wild dogs, boars, birds, and jackals.

Security and Monitoring

• The nesting area has been fenced off with nets to prevent disturbances.
• The entire region has been divided into 50 segments, with each section assigned a dedicated team of forest officials, volunteers, and local villagers.
• Continuous surveillance is being conducted to ensure the safety of the eggs.

Basudev Tripathy (ZSI) emphasized the need for ongoing protection until the hatchlings emerge after approximately 45 days.

Tracking Tagged Turtles

A remarkable aspect of this year’s arribada has been the return of 340 female Olive Ridley turtles previously tagged between 2021 and 2023 under the Olive Ridley Turtle Tagging Programme, jointly conducted by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the Odisha Forest Department.

Significance of Turtle Tagging

According to Anil Mohapatra, Senior Scientist and Officer-in-Charge of the Estuarine Biology Research Center, ZSI (Gopalpur), the tracking initiative has revealed crucial insights:

• Most of the returning turtles were originally tagged at Rushikulya between 2020 and 2023.
• A total of 12,000 turtles were tagged at Rushikulya and Gahirmatha during this period.
• The study suggests that Olive Ridley turtles return to the same nesting site annually, reinforcing the importance of conservation efforts in Odisha.

Photographic Documentation and Future Studies

Researchers have collected photographs of the tags on the turtles for detailed studies after the completion of mass nesting. In 2023, over 100 tagged turtles were recaptured in the Rushikulya river mouth, offering insights into migration patterns and nesting behaviors.

Olive Ridley Turtle Mass Nesting at Rushikulya – 2025 Arribada