Wildlife enthusiasts are thrilled as a record 6.5 lakh endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles have arrived at the Rushikulya beach in Odisha’s Ganjam district for mass nesting after a gap of two years.

Olive Ridley Turtles

• The Olive Ridley turtle is the smallest and most abundant sea turtle species in the world.
• Named after the olive-green color of its carapace (shell).
• Known for their unique mass nesting behavior called Arribada, where thousands of females gather on the same beach to lay eggs.
• Distribution
  • Found in the warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.
  • Odisha’s Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is the world’s largest rookery (breeding colony) of Olive Ridley turtles.
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I (highest protection).
  • CITES: Appendix I (prohibits international trade).

Arribada 

• It is a unique mass nesting behaviour, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs. 
• It is  found only in the genus Lepidochelys which includes the Kemp’s ridley and olive ridley sea turtles.
• Necessary elements of arribada:  offshore winds, lunar cycles, the release of pheromones by females and the temperature of the seawater.

Threats to Olive Ridley Turtles

• Human Activities: Poaching of eggs and turtles.
  • Fishing activities leading to accidental capture in nets.
• Habitat Destruction: Coastal development and pollution.
• Climate Change: Rising sea levels and changing temperatures affect nesting sites.

Conservation Effort: Operation Olivia:

• Initiated in the early 1980s by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
• Conducted annually from November to May to protect Olive Ridley turtles during their breeding and nesting season.

About other sea turtles in India

Turtles vs Tortoises