Amid COVID-19 grim, there’s good news for our planet. The endangered Olive Ridley in Odisha’s Rushikulya rookery has returned to Odisha’s shore for mass nesting. This is because there are no humans and tourist intrusion due to the lockdown.
As per the Forest Department, approximately 2, 78,502 mother turtles have become a part of the day-time nesting activity. Over 72,142 Olive Ridleys have arrived at the beach to dig nests and lay eggs.
The total number of turtles laying eggs till now is over 7.9 lakh. Mass nesting at Gahirmatha is over, it is still in continuation at Rushikulya. It is estimated that around six crore eggs will be laid this year. That’s good, right?
While the forest department is also claiming that this year they have seen the highest number of turtles. During the last two years, we have seen a tremendous increase in mass nesting. And, this year, we have estimated that at least 4.75 lakh turtles came on to nest on Rushikulya beach.
Meanwhile, we are expecting some other good things to happen amid this pandemic spread that has shooked the entire nation and people around the world.
Featured image source: Telegraph India
A number of Twitter users shared the happy news with the world.
ARRIBADA ~Spanish Word – means ‘Arrival’ ?
Refers to mass-nesting event when 1000s of Turtles come ashore at the same time to lay eggs on the same beach.
Interestingly, females return to the very same beach from where they first hatched, to lay their eggs.
?️ Olive Ridley Turtle pic.twitter.com/dvzslqA8zW— Ankit Kumar, IFS (@AnkitKumar_IFS) March 26, 2020
“Positive Impact of Coronavirus ” As the restriction imposed on mankind to stay at home & maintain the cleanliness, helped Olive Ridley Turtle to ashore for mass nesting in broad daylight at Gokhurkuda in Ganjam district pic.twitter.com/CuqxRFARTj
— Tanmay Das (@tanmay__das) March 22, 2020
Mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles in Odisha coast while nation is at 21 day lockdown. #Nature #21daylockdown #pandemia pic.twitter.com/z7ihzOYu0E
— Harikrishnan S (@_harikrishnan_s) March 26, 2020
Thousands of olive ridley turtles nesting on the beaches of Odisha.
Their normal predators (humans) are in quarantine.
This season, their numbers will explode in the oceans.
There is a silver lining in this dark cloud after all. pic.twitter.com/l0DMLbGp4l— Dr. Ashley Jacob (@DrAshJac) March 26, 2020
Olive Ridley turtles ashore to Rushikulya beach on #BayofBengal Sea’s Odisha coast for mass nesting. @CMO_Odisha @Naveen_Odisha @WildlifeMag @TurtleBeach @turtle pic.twitter.com/hrueaXe0Z9
— Biswaranjan Rout (@LifeOfRealArt) March 22, 2020
A Rare albino Olive Ridley. A forest guard watches over the beach..quiet, undisturbed, closer to what it may have been like millions of yrs ago. Pic: rabindranathsahu #turtles #Odisha @JustSeaTurtles @turtles @turtles_talk_back @ParveenKaswan@susantananda3 @ORP_INDIANOCEAN pic.twitter.com/ZJriMSk7YB
— Gautam Pandey (@RiverbankStudio) March 25, 2020
