Kendrapara, March 19: Apprehension of Olive Ridley sea turtles skipping their annual visits for mass nesting to Gahirmatha coast looms large.

Issues such as fragmented and steep beach, trawl fishing or human interference have come under focus though there are no signs of arribada, a Spanish term that describes the unique natural heritage of these marine species converging on the nesting ground here for laying eggs. “We are still optimistic that arribada may take place towards later part of the month,” said forest officer of the Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division Manoj Kumar Mahapatra.

Delay in mass nesting might have been because of the extended spell of winter this year. Cold weather accompanied by strong wind prevails at the nesting sites. Once cold and windy weather conditions recede, turtles may emerge from the seawater to climb on to the beach for instinctive mass nesting. But, it is in the realm of conjecture, Mahapatra said.

Moreover, sea erosion that has paved way for rapid topographical changes in the 12km-long Gahirmatha beach might be distracting the turtles. This apart, the face of the nesting ground has turned steep and sharp inconveniencing the turtles in the act of climbing up to the nesting ground, said a turtle expert.