A stunning natural phenomenon is taking place on the beaches of Odisha, where close to three lakh Olive Ridley turtles have come for their mass nesting, or "arribada,". This year's mass nesting is all the more special as it is happening during the day, providing conservationists and wildlife lovers with a unique opportunity to see the sight in open view.

Supriya Sahu, IAS and Additional Chief Secretary of Environment, Climate Change, and Forests, Government of Tamil Nadu, posted amazing videos of the turtles coming ashore. She brought out the key importance of Olive Ridleys for the marine ecosystem and mentioned that their mass arrival indicates a healthy habitat.

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In another video, Sahu posted images of 3,000 additional Olive Ridley turtles coming out of the Rushikulya River in Odisha to nest, adding more to the frenzy of this year's arribada.

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The videos soon went viral, drawing out praise from wildlife enthusiasts and environmentalists. Numerous users on X (formerly Twitter) were left speechless by the phenomenon.

A user commented, “Spectacular thing to witness… it’s cool to see all these wonderful turtles have returned back to the beaches of Odisha. I am curious about, on what basis all these turtles pick their nesting sites.”

Another user wondered about nature's equilibrium, noting, “Nature has bestowed everything to maintain his every system. Turtles are one of them.”

One anxious user from Coimbatore stressed the need for marine conservation, stating, “Hope our state’s marine ecosystem is also well taken care of because the turtles should trust and pick our beaches as their nesting sites. Turtle protection volunteers will have to play a huge role in it, but the public should also help in these turtle protection efforts.”

Tackling turtle deaths in Tamil Nadu

While celebrating the mass nesting event, Sahu also pointed out the issue of Olive Ridley turtles washing up dead on Tamil Nadu's beaches. She gave an update on efforts being made to address the issue, sharing that a meeting was conducted with Dr. Suresh, a scientist and expert researcher from the Wildlife Institute of India, to work out plans for minimizing turtle deaths along the Tamil Nadu coast.

The yearly return of Olive Ridleys is an ecological process, and conservation efforts continue to be essential in guaranteeing the security and survival of the sea creatures. 

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