Delay in mass nesting of Orissa sea turtles

Mass nesting of turtles: Orissa writes to DRDO
The Hindu News 13 Apr 08;

Bhubaneswar (PTI): Worried over delay in annual mass nesting at Gahirmath beach in Orissa's Kendrapara district, the largest rookery of olive ridley sea turtles, the Orissa government has requested the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to put off the next test- firing of Agni-I slated for last week of April.

Wildlife experts and researchers on olive ridley turtles apprehend that test firing of Agni-I on March 23 could have been a major reason behind delay in begining of mass nesting of turtles, Chief Wildlife Warden B K Patnaik told PTI.

However, they were not absolutely sure about this, Patnaik added.

"We have already written a letter to the DRDO urging it to postpone its proposed test-firing of missiles during the crucial period of mass nesting of olive ridley turtles in Orissa coast," Patnaik said.

According to an understanding between the Orissa government and the DRDO, the latter had committed not to undertake any step which would adversly affect mass nesting of the rare turtles who come from far flung areas to lay eggs on Orissa coast, Patnaik said.

Though a large number of turtles had congregated at Gahirmatha beach, they refrained from mass nesting. "Turtles hesitant to lay eggs could be due to luminous lighting at Wheeler island in the sea which was barely 12 km from the eco-sensitive beach," said one of the turtle researchers in the wildlife wing.

Last year, though there was a small congregation of turtles at Gahirmatha beach, which is part of Bhitarkanika National Park, the nesting took place at appropriate time in the month of March, the researcher pointed out.