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Since Monday evening, baby Olive Ridley turtles have begun breaking out of eggshells marking the culmination of the annual rendezvous of these marine species, wildlife officials said.
Newborn hatchlings have begun emerging from theirnests at the nesting grounds at south eastern Nasi islands of Gahirmatha marine sanctuary.
Wildlife guards of Bhitarkanika national parkstationed at these nesting grounds are sole witness to this unique natural heritage involving birth of babies sans mother. The emergence of hatchlings from egg shells is expected to continue for at least three-four more days.
The babies broke out of the eggshells and wandered around the sandy beach for nearly an hour before making their way to swirling seawater.
It`s a rare visual treat as the delicate babies with mothers nowhere in sight generated hissing noise thus creating soothing cacophony.
Later, they made a beeline towards the sea. No wildlife researcher made it to the place this time to witness the rare natural phenomenon because of prohibition on visit to the place, sources said.
Earlier in February, an estimated 3.6 lakh turtles had embarked on their annual sojourn at the Gahirmatha beach for mass nesting as the female turtles had dug out pits to lay eggs. After the mass-nesting, the mother turtles had made seaward journey leaving the eggs to incubate naturally.
After the eggs are incubated under natural process, the hatchlings come out after 45-55 days hiatus. The phenomenon of babies` emergence from the nests is a unique proposition in itself as the babies grow sans mother.
The mortality rate of hatchlings is very high as one out of a thousand survives the life cycle to grow into an adult, according to wildlife researchers.
