Marine Species Conservation

Marine turtle species

• Biology and research
• Conservation and management
• Indigenous significance
• Flatback turtle
• Green turtle
• Hawksbill turtle
• Leatherback turtle
• Loggerhead turtle
• Olive Ridley turtle

See also

• Newsletter
• Recovery plan
• National partnership approach to sustainable harvest
• Olive Ridley nesting and foraging grounds

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Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)

Conservation status

National: Vulnerable

Queensland: Endangered

Distribution and habitats

The olive ridley turtle has a worldwide tropical and subtropical distribution, including northern Australia.

Olive ridleys occur in shallow, protected waters, especially in soft-bottomed habitats. In Australia, they occur along the coast from southern Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef, northwards to Torres Strait, the Gulf of Papua, Gulf of Carpentaria, Arafura Sea and Joseph Bonaparte Gulf in Western Australia.

Breeding Areas and Nesting Seasons

No large rookeries of olive ridleys have been recorded in Australia.

An estimate of the nesting population for Australia is 500-1000 females annually, with most nesting in north west Arnhem Land.

Olive ridleys nest all year round, although most nesting occurs during the dry season from April to November. Hatchlings emerge from the nests about two months after laying.

Diet

The olive ridley turtle is carnivorous, feeding mostly on shellfish and small crabs.

Olive Ridley turtle carapace:

• 6 pairs or more of large scales on either side (coastal scales)
• Carapace circular
• Colour grey green
• Adult carapace approx. 0.7m

See also

• More about the Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)