Olive Ridley Turtle

Olive Ridley Turtle Latest News

Olive Ridley turtles from Tamil Nadu have begun migrating towards the Sri Lanka Dome, a little-known but highly productive ocean region.

About Olive Ridley Turtle

• It is the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
• It gets its name from the olive green colouration of its carapace (shell). 
• It is best known for its unique mass nesting, called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.

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Distribution of Olive Ridley Turtle

• They are mainly found in the warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans.
• Odisha’s Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is known as the world’s largest rookery (a colony of breeding animals) of sea turtles.

Features of Olive Ridley Turtle

• They are omnivorous, meaning they feed on both plants and animals.
• They are solitary, preferring the open ocean.
• These turtles spend their entire lives in the ocean, and migrate thousands of kilometers between feeding and mating grounds in the course of a year.

Conservation Status of Olive Ridley Turtle

• IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1

What is the Sri Lanka Dome?

• It is considered one of the most productive regions in the Indian Ocean.
• Formation: It is formed by seasonal upwelling that brings cool, nutrient-rich waters to the surface, triggering plankton blooms that attract turtles, fish, whales, and seabirds.
• This phenomenon typically begins in May, peaks in July, and declines by September, after which the turtles disperse and begin their return migration.

Source: TH