Olive Ridley Turtles visit Orissa beach twice this year

Emergence of baby turtles was witnessed last on April 16 and the exercise went on for almost a week. Since last night, newborn babies are seen emerging again, forest officials said on Sunday.

Normally the turtles lay eggs once a year, they said. Wildlife officials of Bhitarkanika National Park have stationed at the nesting grounds, the whole of Nasi-2 island, which are now teeming with baby turtles.

Tourists and researchers were denied entry with the unmanned islands located in vicinity of Wheeler's Island defence test range centre being a prohibited territory.

Emergence of hatchlings from egg shells is expected to continue for three more days, they said. Turtle babies were seen jostling for space on the beach before their final plunge into the sea, said Prasanna Kumar Behera, divisional forest officer with Rajnagar wildlife (forest) division.