Gahirmatha

Located within the close vicinity of the Bhitarkanika National Park is Odisha’s only Turtle Sanctuary. A part of the Gahirmatha Beach, the Turtle Sanctuary is the place  where one can spot Olive Ridley Turtles.  Taking a  boat ride across the  river and gradually venturing into the wide sea is an experience ridden with sheer thrill and excitement.  These turtles travel all the way from South Pacific Ocean to breed on the coast of Gahirmatha.  About half a million of these species visit the beach every year for mating.

It extendes from Dhamara river mouth in the north to Brahmani rever moth in the south. it is very famous for its nesting beach for Olive Ridley Turtles.It is the one of worlds most important nesting beach for turtles.

The Gahirmatha Marine Wildlife Sanctuary is the only marine sanctuary of Orissa. In 1997 the Government of Orissa declared the area as Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary considering its ecological significance and diverse floral and faunal resources. The Gahirmatha beach has been a cradle to adult sea turtles and their babies since time immemorial.These turtles are  known for the epic journeys that they undertake annually to breed and recuperate. It has been observed that Olive  Ridley Sea  Turtles migrate from pacific ocen through the coastal water of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocen to the coastal water of Gahirmatha in the north. They usually mate between November and January and the breeding period is of eight months from October  to May.

It is a fascinating experience to watch these creatures crawling out of the deep sea, labouring,  selecting a site,  digging holes, laying almost 200 eggs, covering the area and crawling back to the sea.