Bhubaneswar, May 11 -- Olive Ridley turtles skipped mass nesting at the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary this year, triggering concern among environmentalists even as record egg collection and hatchling activity were reported from other coastal regions of Odisha.

While the Forest Department termed the development a "skip year", environmentalists raised questions over whether climate change and human activities may have affected the nesting pattern of the endangered marine species.

At the same time, a record number of Olive Ridley nests were identified along the Puri coast this season, while thousands of hatchlings have started emerging from the Rushikulya beach in Ganjam district and moving towards the sea.

Gahirmatha, Odisha's only marine ...