OVERVIEW
The olive ridley turtle is a sea turtle named for the color of its shell - an olive green hue. The smallest of the sea turtles, they are also the most abundant. However, they are classified as Vulnerable due to the fact that their nesting locations are few and far between, meaning that any disturbance to even one nest could have huge repercussions across the entire population.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Olive ridley turtles are omnivores, eating a variety of prey such as crabs, shrimp, lobster, urchins, jellies, algae, and fish.
- Although they are the most abundant species, the olive ridley's numbers have declined significantly.
- Because olive ridley turtles congregate in large numbers off of nesting areas, they are prone to mass mortality events.
- The IUCN has rated the olive ridley turtle as endangered.
- The olive ridley turtle's scientific name is Lepidochelys olivacea.
