Bhogarai, Feb 23: The annual egg-laying season for the Olive Ridley turtles has officially started in the Talasari area, in the Bhograi block of Balasore district. As in previous years, this year, Olive Ridley turtles have begun laying their eggs, with 2,015 eggs collected from 15 turtles in the first phase of the nesting process. The information was shared by Sanjay Kumar Mohanty, a forest officer from Udaypur.

All the eggs are being securely stored in hatcheries, with strict surveillance over the nesting beaches. Every year, the turtles of Talasari beach lay their eggs in large groups, and this year is no exception. Udaypur, located about 10 km from the beach, serves as a safe area for the turtles. The areas like Murali Chad, Narayan Mahanti, and Padiya Dandi on the Talasari beach are marked as safe zones for the turtles' nesting.

The forest department, under the direction of Balasore's District Forest Officer (DFO), Pradeep Kumar Mallik, and in collaboration with cooperative wildlife officials like Jayashree Murmu, has placed special emphasis on safeguarding the turtles’ eggs this year. The department has been monitoring the area carefully, ensuring the turtles are not disturbed during the nesting process.

Patrolling of the coastline has also intensified, with a special boat from the Subarsha unit, conducting regular patrols 6 km out into the sea every day. With the start of this year’s nesting season, forest officials expect a higher number of eggs to be laid compared to last year, thanks to the increased vigilance and conservation efforts.