Shrinking sea turtles nest

The states coast has Olive Ridley rookeries at the Gahirmatha and Rushikulya rivermouths two of seven known in the world. The Gahirmatha rookery had a nesting beach running 32 km when it was discovered in 1974-75. According to wildlife officials,researchers and activists,at least 2-3 lakh turtles used to congregate there every February-March for nesting.

Senior scientist B C Choudhury of the WIIs endangered species division told The Indian Express that the Gahirmatha nesting beach has shrunk to 900 metres in the past three decades. A few years ago the migratory turtles used to lay eggs on a 6-km-long sandbar which got divided into two Nasi I and Nasi II islands. The turtles have deserted Nasi-I while Nasi II,where they now lay eggs,is about 900 metres long, he said.

Turtle researcher in the Orissa Wildlife Department Chandra Sekhar Kar agreed that the government is concerned about the erosion but claims Gahirmatha is still the largest rookery for Olive Ridleys. In 2009-10,more than 3.5 lakh turtles nested at Gahirmatha, he said.

Choudhury and other wildlife activists believe the figures are exaggerated. Theres no way to verify them. The Wildlife Department does not allow WII or other wildlife activists to go near Gahirmatha,calling it a defence area, Choudhury said.

Gahirmathas shrinking could have made the Rushikulya rivermouth,at 5 km long,the worlds largest mass nesting beach. Choudhury said more studies were necessary to understand if nesting beaches are shrinking because of coastal geomorphological changes or for development. The geomorphological changes include the formation of a new mass nesting beach close to Wheelers Island at Dhamra off the Bay of Bengal. Last season,Olive Ridleys were seen migrating to a sandbar off Wheelers Island,where the DRDO tests ballistic missiles. The DRDO is spending a lot to check erosion of Wheelers. If it protects the new nesting beach ,turtles can be saved, said Choudhury.

Activists fear for Rushikulya too as a new port is coming up at Palur,5 km from the beach. South of this beach,about 12 km away,the Gopalpur port is dredging a channel; this too may affect the nesting beaches.