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:
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.