KENDRAPARA: Emergence of millions of baby Olive Ridley marine turtles along the tranquil Gahirmatha beach has brought cheers to conservationists here. Wildlife lovers are elated as hatchlings broke out of eggshells and began their seaward journey from the nesting grounds at Nasi-2 Island. About 1.68 lakh turtles had arrived at Nasi-2 nesting ground from March 20 to March 28 to lay eggs on the sandy beach. “Since Saturday night, newborns are emerging with mother turtles nowhere in sight. Nasi-2 Island is teeming with baby turtles and wildlife officials of Bhitarkanika National Park stationed at these nesting grounds are the sole witness to this unique natural heritage involving the birth of babies sans mother,” a forest official said. Tourists and researchers were denied entry to witness it as the unmanned islands are located in the vicinity of Wheeler’s island defence test range centre, a prohibited territory. “Emergence of hatchlings from eggshells is expected to continue at least for a week. The 1-km beach is virtually littered with hatchlings. The babies are literally jostling for space to move around before they plunge into sea,” Manoj Kumar Mahapatra, DFO, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) forest division, said. The officer added that nearly two million hatchlings had emerged out of pits in the last 24 hours. An estimated 1.68 lakh turtles had arrived en masse to lay eggs in the second week of March. There was considerable delay in their arrival this year which had led many to speculate that these marine animals may play truant in turning up here for mass nesting. After the eggs are incubated under natural process, the hatchlings come out after 45 to 55 days. The nesting beaches at the idyllic islands free of human interference also happen to be the most congenial and conducive spots for turtles’ mass nesting. But of late these beaches are undergoing sea erosion, adversely affecting the turtle habitat. The mortality rate of hatchlings is exceedingly high as one out of a thousand survives the life cycle to grow into an adult. ENS/PTI