Berhampur, Jan. 15: The congregation of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles near Rushikulya rookery for mating is about to end this month and experts feel that these animals were spotted in abundance in the area quite early this season.

"The congregation of the turtles was delayed by 15 days last year. We had spotted about 1,500 sporadic nesting along the five-kilometre coastline from Purunabandha to Podempeta last year. Hostile weather conditions, including intermittent rain, beach erosion and absence of high-velocity southern wind were all responsible for the delay last year. The beach experienced intermittent rain on February 26, March 7, 13 and 17 last year. But this season, many turtles have flocked the coast since the onset of winter in November," said Berhampur divisional forest officer Ashish Kumar Behera.

The forest department has deployed two speedboats and two trawlers with staff to guard the coast, while entry of fishing trawlers into the turtles' mating zone have been restricted completely.

"We have also set up a control room at Purunabandha to coordinate with the staff," Behera said.

Secretary of Rushikulya Sea Turtle Protection Committee Rabindranath Sahu said lakhs of Olive Ridley turtles had congregated for mating in the Rushikulya rookery since November.

"The condition of the 1.5 km beach from Gokharkuda to Purunabandha is good. Out of another 3km from Gokharkuda to Podampeta, 1.5 km is good and 1.5 km beach is narrow. We expect that this narrow beach will be repaired automatically in February," Sahu said.