Olive Ridley Sea Turtles

Source: NIE

Subject: Species in News

Context: With the nesting season underway, wildlife authorities have set up sea turtle hatcheries at multiple locations along the Chennai coast to protect eggs and improve hatchling survival.

About Olive Ridley Sea Turtles:

What it is?

• The Olive Ridley sea turtle is one of the smallest and most abundant sea turtle species, named after its olive-green, heart-shaped shell.

• It is globally known for its unique mass nesting behaviour (arribada), where thousands of females nest synchronously on select beaches.

Habitat and distribution:

• Global range: Tropical regions of the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans.

• Indian context: Major nesting beaches along the Odisha coast (Gahirmatha, Rushikulya, Devi River mouth), solitary nesting also occurs along the Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Andaman coasts.

Marine habitat: Primarily pelagic (open ocean), but migrates to sandy beaches for nesting.

IUCN conservation status: Vulnerable

Legal protection in India: Schedule I species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Key characteristics:

• Physical:

• Olive/grey-green carapace with 5–9 pairs of lateral scutes Smallest among sea turtles; each flipper has one or two claws

• Olive/grey-green carapace with 5–9 pairs of lateral scutes

• Smallest among sea turtles; each flipper has one or two claws

• Social and behavioural:

• Exhibits both solitary nesting and arribada nesting Highly migratory; capable of long-distance ocean travel

• Exhibits both solitary nesting and arribada nesting

• Highly migratory; capable of long-distance ocean travel

• Reproductive:

• Females reach maturity around 12–15 years Lay about 100 eggs per clutch, 1–3 times per season Temperature-dependent sex determination: warmer sand produces more females

• Females reach maturity around 12–15 years

• Lay about 100 eggs per clutch, 1–3 times per season

• Temperature-dependent sex determination: warmer sand produces more females

Significance:

• Acts as an indicator species for coastal and ocean health.

• Protecting Olive Ridleys safeguards nesting beaches and associated coastal ecosystems.

• India hosts some of the world’s largest arribada sites, making conservation actions internationally significant.