Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

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The Olive Ridley Sea turtle is one of the smallest turtle. Olive Ridley was named after Mr. H.N. Ridley who discovered this species on Fernando de Noronha Island in Brazil in the year 1887. It is called olive Ridley because of the greenish colour of its skin and carapace.

Olive Ridley Sea turtles’ Anatomy:

Olive Ridley Sea turtles can weigh up to 100 pounds (45Kilograms) and are about 2 feet (65 centimetres) long. Size of Olive Ridley differs from region to region. Male turtles have bigger tail than female turtles which are used males during copulation.

Olive Ridley Sea turtles’ habitation:

The Olive Ridley Sea turtles are found mainly in tropical and subtropical areas. They prefer warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Ocean.

Olive Ridley Sea turtles’ nature:

Olive Ridley Sea turtles are carnivorous in nature. Scientists have found cannibalistic behaviour too in olive Ridley sea turtles. The female members of this small and beautiful creature arrive at their nesting sites in large groups which are called Arribadas in Spanish. They take the help of the tide and the wind ...
... to reach their destination. Olive Ridley Sea turtles have been declared as ‘Vulnerable’ in the conservation status by IUCN and enlisted as an endangered species.

Olive Ridley Sea turtles’ eating habit:

They feed on especially invertebrates and protochordates which are easily available in marine waters and estuarine. Sea urchins, bivalves, crabs, shrimp, tunicates, bryozoans, jelly fish, snails, sipunculid worms, rock lobsters etc. are their main food. They have been found to eat filamentous algae where there is deficit of other preys. The jaw structure of Olive Ridleys is fashioned in such a way that they can easily grind and crush their prey, Olive Ridleys are omnivorous creatures. This means that they partake of both plants and animals as a food source. Olive Ridley turtles also consume small invertebrates, sea grass, pelagic tunocates, sessile, snails and fish. In the eastern Pacific and western Atlantic, the diet of the Olive Ridley is said to include crabs, shrimp, rock lobsters, jellyfish and tunicates.

Olive Ridley Sea turtles’ nesting:

Large groups of turtles gather off the coast to the beaches where they will lay their eggs. Suddenly, a huge number of turtles come to land to build their nests in what is known as a "Arribada". Although most female Olive Ridley lay their eggs in an Arribada, not all adult Olive Ridley turtles do this, some actually lay eggs alone. Olive Ridley sea turtle typically lay eggs 1 to 3 times per season and produced around 100 to 110 eggs each time. The eggs are about the size of golf balls and weigh less than 30 g. When the last egg is laid, the turtle covers the eggs with sand and finally press the sand with her plastron. It is a very special way to ensure the species' survival.

Birds are waiting to catch them when they crawl down to the beach. Those that do not reach the water before the morning light breaks, is easy prey for predators.

theoliveridleyturtle.com is about Olive Ridley Sea Turtle focusing on Olive Ridley Sea turtles’ Anatomy, Olive Ridley Sea turtles’ habitation, Olive Ridley Sea turtles’ nature, Olive Ridley Sea turtles’ eating habit and Olive Ridley Sea turtles’ nesting.