The turtles scoop the soft sand to a depth of 45 cm with the help of flippers and release 100 to 180 eggs. Before scampering on to the beach, the turtles survey the nesting ground from the sea and in case they smell and danger, they shun the beach and search for safer breeding ground. The urge to release the egg is so intense that they are so oblivious of the presence of any foreigner, at the time of nesting. Generally, dark nights are preferred by the ridleys for nesting. It has been observed that nesting takes place once the southerly wind starts blowing. The period of emergence and retreat into the sea after nesting takes 45 to 55 minutes. Due to the shrinkage of the nesting beach, overcrowding of turtles is observed during nesting. The eggs which are scooped out by successive nesters is known as "doomed" egg as it would never be able to hatch. Sporadic nesting is also not uncommon. These eggs are mostly damaged by predators. The nesting females emit hissing noise at the time of laying eggs as the intake of oxygen is maximum at that moment. After laying eggs, the female turtle fills up the pit with sand by the flippers and tries to camouflage the pit site. The mother turtle rams the pit with the help of its body's heaviness. Hatching The eggs inside the flask-shaped pits, being incubated by the sun and the metabolic heat, hatch after 50 to 60 days. The hatching takes place during the night or in the predawn period to avoid predation by jackals, dogs, and birds. The walls of the pit gradually collapse, thereby allowing the eggs on the lower strata to rise upwards. After the emergence of hatchlings, they immediately head for the open sea. The tiny replicas of turtles are in a frenzy to enter the sea water. This is the most spectacular sight. The hatchlings orient themselves by the reflection of stars on seawater or by the brighter horizon and head en masse towards the sea. The hatchlings swim deep into the sea until they reach the sea current. During this period large-scale mortality of hatchlings take place. It is studied that 1 in 1000 survives. Bigger fishes, ghost crabs or seagulls either predates the hatchlings. Then the period of "lost year" begins. References Beaches of Odisha Bay of Bengal Environment of Odisha Marine