Home › Reptilia › Cheloniidae › Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
SPECIES PROFILE
Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
Lepidochelys
IUCN STATUS
Vulnerable
CONSERVATION STATUS
Vulnerable
CLASS
Reptilia
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Odisha coast, Andaman and Nicobar
DIET
Omnivorous
HABITAT
Coastal waters, beaches for nesting
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Reptilia
ORDER
Testudines
FAMILY
Cheloniidae
GENUS
Lepidochelys
📋 Description
SIZE
60-70 cm long, 35-50 kg
COLORATION
Olive-green carapace, lighter underparts
ADAPTATIONS
Paddle-like flippers for swimming, mass nesting behavior
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Coastal waters, beaches for nesting
DIET
Omnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Odisha coast, Andaman and Nicobar
REPRODUCTION
Lays 100-150 eggs on beaches, hatch 45-60 days
DIET DETAILS
Jellyfish, crabs, algae
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Fishing nets, beach development, egg poaching
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Arribada Spectacle: Thousands nest simultaneously in Gahirmatha's beaches laying 100 eggs each with 50000 annually. Their 70 cm shells face fishing net threats.
2
Coastal Migrants: Traveling 3000 km to Rushikulya's shores their 45 kg bodies dig nests in Andaman's sands. Conservation patrols protect their 1000 km nesting range.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary in Odisha is the world's largest turtle nesting site
Rushikulya Beach in Odisha hosts mass turtle nesting events
Andaman and Nicobar Islands nesting beaches offer turtle sightings
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
January-March. Nesting season brings turtles ashore in large numbers.
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Join guided night patrols to observe turtles nesting on beaches.
