Olive Ridley turtles on Gahirmatha beach. (PTI)

Kendrapara, March 25: Nests of the rare Olive Ridley turtles on Gahirmatha beach are under threat from canines.

Hordes of stray dogs from the nearby Wheeler’s Island defence installation (of the Defence Research and Development Organisation) have invaded the beach, endangering the turtle nests. To stop the four-legged trespassers from digging up the nests and eating incubating eggs, the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary authorities have erected a protective fencing along the beach.

Manoj Kumar Mahapatra, divisional forest officer, Rajnagar Mangrove, said the prohibited defence territory is home to many stray dogs.

“Incidentally, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) project is located close to Nasi nesting beach where nearly 3.62 lakh turtles turned up earlier this month to lay eggs. The eggs are now incubating. The intrusion of dogs from the DRDO’s Wheeler’s Island had become a cause of worry. The safety of the eggs was at stake as the dogs dig up the nests and eat the eggs,” he said. Mahapatra said the forest department has already asked the DRDO to help stop the canine invasion.

“To ensure the safety of the turtle nests, we have erected fencing on the southern side of the nesting beach. The protective barrier, which is serving as a safety ring for the nests, will remain intact till the baby turtles break out of eggshells in mid-April.”

Forest department guards are keeping vigil round the clock at the nesting ground. They will continue to do so until the baby turtles are born.

The problem is that the dogs are safely ensconced on Wheeler’s Island which is a prohibited defence territory. Unless the DRDO officials drive these unwanted guests away, the turtles will remain in peril, said a forest official.