Videos shared by officials on Twitter are going viral making everyone happy. (Susanta Nanda/ Twitter)
Weeks after the mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles along the Odisha coast, the eggs began to hatch and on Friday conservationists posted videos of thousands of baby turtles making their way to the sea. The beautiful sight of the thousands of turtles crawling into the sea was trending on social media.
As of late March, Olive Ridley turtles settled in the Gahirmatha and Rushikulya rookery in the eastern state and laying their eggs in the sand. Officials said that from the start of May, the tiny hatchlings began emerging from the sand and making their journey towards the water without facing any human interference.
“Nearly 2 crore plus olive Ridley hatchlings have emerged & made their way to sea from half of about 4 lakh nesting at Nasi-2 islands, Gahirmatha rookery Odisha,” tweeted Susanta Nanda, an Indian Forest Service officer from Odisha. Describing it as “a sight that casts a magical spell year after year,” the officer shared a clip of the hatchlings making their way to the sea.
A sight that casts magical spell year after year👍
Nearly 2 crore plus olive Ridley hatchlings have emerged & made their way to sea from half of about 4 lakh nesting at Nasi-2 islands, Gahirmatha rookery Odisha.
The spectacle continues. Early morning video. pic.twitter.com/C0IKTWNCko
— Susanta Nanda IFS (@susantananda3) May 8, 2020
The forest officer posted one video from the morning, and in another clip showed how the hatchlings came out of the sand at night.
Lockdown lifted for our guests at one more rookery of Olive Ridley in Odisha coast yesterday night👍
Hatchlings of sea turtle started comming out of nests from the mass nesting site at Gokharakuda beach of Rushikulya delta.
The magical spell of seaward journey will continue. pic.twitter.com/bVElxC1JMX
— Susanta Nanda IFS (@susantananda3) May 8, 2020
The official handle of the Divisional Forest Officer of Bhadrak also shared a video showing in detail how the baby turtles leave the nest after eggs hatch, and try to get to the water.
Olive Ridley Turtle hatchlings coming out of the nests and making their way home(Ocean) @pccfodisha pic.twitter.com/2PTFPVew8d
— DFO Bhadrak (WL) (@DfoBhadrak) May 8, 2020
The handle also shared a video to let people know how the turtles build their nests during the mass nesting.
Ever wondered how turtles dig their nests ?? Olive Ridley Turtles on the beaches of Odisha. @odishawildlife @Poornima_ifs pic.twitter.com/Jb3piHg0f1
— DFO Bhadrak (WL) (@DfoBhadrak) May 8, 2020
In last week of March, Nanda had tweeted that “little less than 8 lakhs have laid eggs till now” and the department estimated around six crore eggs having been laid along the coast. On Friday morning, officials said over 2 crore hatchlings were spotted.
People on social media were delighted to see the videos and celebrated the news.
This is the happiest, sweetest, most heartwarming news I’ve read in a long time. A new day, a new dawn, and millions of new little turtle lives 🌎🌈 https://t.co/Iacn2LPlQJ
— Diana Penty (@DianaPenty) May 9, 2020
This is the silver lining of this pandemic. It’s mother Earth trying to hold off the human race, in order to protect her other children.. the flora and fauna. This is in India. This would be the reality in most parts of the world soon. Millions of animal babies of diff species!💚 https://t.co/z3wb6zzLy9
— Sayani Gupta (@sayanigupta) May 9, 2020
Three of my visits to Odisha in the past happened to coincide with tentative date range of this unique & spectacular event, but somehow on account of extended engagements or due to sheer bad luck (?) could never witness this live 😞 @ParveenKaswan @NatGeo @Discovery @AnimalPlanet https://t.co/loEdBSLZIw
— Sanjeev Gupta (@sanjg2k1) May 8, 2020
Because baby turtles are a reason to believe our world is beautiful and worth protecting. https://t.co/Vw6aNDLOID
— Willow A (@WillowA2) May 9, 2020
Newly hatched Ridley turtle babies rushing to the sea. This magic happens every year on time 💖
Waves and cyclical events! Stock markets mimic Nature. https://t.co/8bnNtoQuiJ
— Richa Singh (@1richasingh) May 8, 2020
This sight is a bliss. No human interference has really made the nature blossom again. ❤ https://t.co/YtWeOIBjyf
— Punarva Barthwal (@beingpunarva) May 9, 2020
Earth doing what she does best. Amazing!! https://t.co/guafRnHJ3H
— Naomi (@itsnaomis) May 8, 2020
Nature is truly Majestic..❤️ https://t.co/e8wpYzm5dc
— sumesh lekhi (@sumeshlekhi) May 8, 2020
Heart warming to see this🖤 https://t.co/nOYjyuzL4u
— The Ashed Stories (@Theashedstories) May 8, 2020
If we get back to a greener fuller world after the lockdown, I am not complaining. Provided, we don’t become the monsters we were. #natureishealing #nature #animals#ridley https://t.co/Bm7Xg2CFN8
— Urmi Sahni (@urmisahni) May 8, 2020
The law of survival, within framework of limited resources, fighting forces of nature & saving oneself from predators while taking calculated risks.
The above is applicable for humans too. https://t.co/XDL46iQXhb
— Arunudoy ভট্টাচার্য (@ArunudoyB) May 8, 2020
👏👏👏👏👏👏 Nature is reclaiming it’s share on the earth. It’s a welcome feature. Hope it stays this way with pollution levels going down and making it little easier for pulmonary patients to breathe and stay symptom free.
— S Dey (@SDey80695849) May 8, 2020
This always makes my cry! They are going out to be turtles! Yay!
— Leisha_17 (@Leisha_17) May 8, 2020
Beautiful. See what happen when you pull himans out of the equation. Growth. Renewal. Hope.
— hrl (@firsttakes) May 8, 2020
Wow amazing sir .Nature at it’s best
— Abinaya Clicks (@AbinayaClicks) May 8, 2020
Humans are a destructive force.
— G. Mercedes McMahon (@GlendaClarke2) May 8, 2020
This time there is chance of more servival due to reduced human activity
— NB (@NB11154993) May 8, 2020
Simply wow! Nature always finds its way!! https://t.co/zowlAxJFhS
— ashis_08 (@ashis_08) May 8, 2020
What a visual treat 🐢🐢🐢 https://t.co/euqA8cfvi3
— vrundashankara (@vrundavs) May 8, 2020
Woah look a them all ❤️ amazing sight I would love to witness one day! https://t.co/R5ZBeXrteZ
— IrishDoyle (@DubhlinnAllOver) May 8, 2020
With no tourists and not even locals able to visit this year, not unsurprisingly, it's a record year for the babies! #keeponswimming https://t.co/E4n1UgiGYf
— Jo Phillips🌎 (@playinwild) May 8, 2020
I love their flappy lil arms ☺️🥰🐢 https://t.co/OFqnGhXdxj
— RayofSunshine🇨🇦 (@BCgrrlDonnaG) May 8, 2020
The Olive Ridley turtle gets its name from the colour of its shell which is an olive green hue. The World Wildlife Fund website says that they are the most abundant of all sea turtles but are vulnerable because they nest in very few places. This means any disturbance on the beaches that they nest can impact the entire population.
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