Paradip, Dec. 8: The endangered olive ridley sea turtles have begun their annual mating at Gahiramatha marine sanctuary.

Forest personnel and coast guard on patrolling drives have sighted pairs of mating turtles.

The Gahirmatha beach is supposed to be the world's largest-known nesting ground of these animals. Apart from Gahirmatha, the animals turn up at Rushikulya river mouth and Devi river mouth for mass nesting.

"Turtle surveying teams spotted hundreds of mating pairs along the Gahirmatha coast. Fishing prohibition is presently clamped in Gahirmatha zone to ensure disturbance-free mating of the animals. After the end of the mating season, most of the male turtles usually return leaving behind the female turtles to lay their eggs," said divisional forest officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife), Prasanna Kumar Acharya.

The female turtles invade the nesting beaches usually in the dead of the night to lay eggs. After laying the eggs, the turtles go back into the sea. Hatchlings emerge from these eggs after 45-60 days.

The ban on sea fishing has been clamped in accordance with sections 2, 7 and 4 of the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act (OMFRA), 1982, and provisions of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

"To ensure the safety of turtles, prohibitory orders are being strictly enforced. The trawl operators have been cautioned not to venture into prohibited water zone. Any trespassing will invite punitive measures," said Acharya.