Olive Ridley

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Olive Ridley

An Olive ridley sea turtle laying eggs

Conservation status

Endangered (IUCN)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Testudines
Family:	Cheloniidae
Genus:	Lepidochelys
Species:	L. olivacea

Binomial name

Lepidochelys olivacea
(Eschscholtz, 1829)

The Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) is one of the smallest species of sea turtle. It is named for the olive color of its heart-shaped shell.

1 Anatomy and morphology
2 Distribution
3 Ecology and life history
4 Conservation
- 4.1 Threats
5 Bibliography
6 References
7 See also
8 External links

[edit] Anatomy and morphology

These lightly-built turtles have an average weight just over 100 lb (up to 50 kg.). They have a high-domed shell, with a carapace length of only 27 inches (70 cm). The carapace is made up of five pairs of costal scutes, with occurrences of up to 6 to 9 divisions per side. The margins are smooth. The carapace is a dark olive green in color with a yellowish underside. The head is large.

[edit] Distribution

It is usually found in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic ocean. The common name in Spanish is tortuga golfina o del golfo.

The beaches of Orissa, India provide one of the last nesting grounds of the Olive Ridley turtles in the world. Unfortunately this nesting site for thousands of turtles is now threatened by a proposed industrial port outside the nesting grounds. In addition, trawling and offshore drilling for oil and gas has been blamed for the death of more than 100,000 Olive Ridley turtles, which have washed ashore in the last ten years.

Though listed by the US Endangered Species Act, populations in the Atlantic Ocean continue to dwindle, while the populations found in areas around the Pacific Ocean seem to be on the rise. Furthermore, their ability to reproduce in the Red Sea was thought impossible, however, recent evidence suggests that they do indeed hatch in Eritrea amongst other places in the Red Sea.^[1]^[2]

In the Indian Ocean, a major nesting ground for the species can be found in the Indian state of Orissa. Beaches in Devi, Gahirmatha and Rushikulya are known nesting sites for the L. olivacea Indian Ocean population. In 2007, around 130,000 turtles nested on the beaches of Gahirmatha.^[3]

[edit] Ecology and life history

Olive Ridleys are omnivorous, feeding on crabs, shrimp, rock lobsters, sea grasses, algae, snails, and fish. They are sometimes seen feeding on jellyfish in shallow waters. These turtles forage offshore in surface waters and can dive to depths of at least 150 meters (500 feet).

[edit] Conservation

[edit] Threats

Commercial trawling has been shown to disrupt and kill Olive Ridleys in India. The turtles are caught in the trawler's nets being dragged far behind the boats. Unable to surface, the turtles suffocate to death and drown.^[3]

[edit] Bibliography

Red List Standards & Petitions Subcommittee (1996). Lepidochelys olivacea. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 09 May 2006. Database entry includes a lengthy justification of why this species is endangered