Lepidochelys olivacea

Conservation status

International: ‘Endangered’ [World Conservation Union]

Description

Adults: Round, grey to olive-grey carapace, domed from the front and heart shaped; plastron cream; carapace ~ 0.7 m

Hatchlings: Black carapace; light brown plastron

Distribution and habitat

Olive Ridley Turtles occur in tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are found in soft-bottomed, shallow protected waters near the coast.

Diet

Olive Ridley Turtles are carnivorous and feed on benthic molluscs, crabs, echinoderms and shellfish.

Breeding

Nesting season – Australia:

Year-round, with most from April to November. Hatchlings emerge year-round, with most from June to late January.

Breeding areas - Australia

There are no large rookeries in Australia but the two main breeding areas are:

• Northern Territory – about 1000 nesting females per year.
• Gulf of Carpentaria – about 100 nesting females per year.

Main threats

Incidental capture in fishing and shark control program gear; ingestion of synthetic material; boat strike; entanglement in discarded and lost nets (ghost nets); predation of eggs and hatchlings; unsustainable indigenous hunting.

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