Over 1.8 lakh Olive Ridley turtles were spotted laying eggs on the first day of their mass nesting season at Rushikulya River in Odisha, according to news agency PTI. The turtles started laying eggs on Thursday night and continued till Friday morning in the four km stretch of the beach from Posampeta to Bateshwar. Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda took to Twitter to share a video capturing the beautiful phenomenon.

The annual nesting ritual takes place over a few days. This time, however, the sea turtles arrived a month earlier than the previous year, PTI quoted forest officials in a statement.

“Odisha welcomes its annual guests. The mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtle has begun at Rushikulya rookery…. It's happening in day time again...Swagatam,” Susanta wrote.

Odisha welcomes its annual guests. The mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtle has begun at Rushikulya rookery….
It’s happening at day time again, after a gap of two years. Swagatam???? pic.twitter.com/GXzzbQ0Pds

— Susanta Nanda (@susantananda3) February 24, 2023

The video instantly went viral garnering over one lakh views. While some users were intrigued about the reason why the turtles turn up at the mouth of the Rushikulya every year, others were captivated by the sheer beauty of nature.

“Wow! What a scene to witness. So pleasing to watch,” wrote one user.

Netizens exhorted the importance of conservation to ensure the uninterrupted nesting routine of the turtles. “Conservation efforts paying off,” a person commented.

Last year, a record 5.5 lakh Olive Ridley turtles nested on the beach between March 28 and April 4. According to PTI, wildlife experts believe that suitable climatic conditions and clean beaches contributed to the early nesting this year.

Meanwhile, scientists of the Zoological Survey of India also found at least 17 adult female turtles they had tagged in the last two years.