Put off missile test till mass nesting of Olive Ridley

Kendrapara, Apr 12 (UNI) Forest officials have requested the defence personnel to hold on the missile test in Wheeler Island till the next mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles in Gahiramatha, one of the largest rookeries of the world.

State chief wildlife Warden and the DFO of Rajnagar Wildlife and Forest (Mangrove ) Division P K Behera has recently requested the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) not to carry out any missile test till the mass nesting of turtles was done.

The DFO apprehended that due to test firing of missiles at regular intervals at Wheeler Island since last January, the Olive Ridleys turtles did not come enmasse to the shore to lay eggs this year.

The Bhitarkanika forest officials said keeping in mind the sporadic nestings of these species during the last week of March, they were expecting that the mass nesting of Olive Ridely would occur at Gahirmatha soon.

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