Orissa, April 13 -- A recent study has revealed a significant gender imbalance amongst Olive Ridley sea turtle hatchlings, with a dominant female population emerging at Rushikulya in Odisha's Ganjam district. The study showed the sex ration of newborn turtles tilting more towards females.

This research titled 'Monitoring Sea Turtles in India 2008-2024' was led by the Indian Institute of Science (IIS) in Bengaluru alongside the Dakshin Foundation, Bengaluru. Notably, 71% of the hatchlings at Rushikulya are female, marking a potential threat to the species' demographic stability.

Unlike humans, sea turtles do not have sex chromosomes. Their sex is determined by the temperature of the sand where their eggs incubate, a phenomenon called te...