Life of an Olive Ridley
Ashley Usher
Maher
Final Draft
Dec 10, 2012
THE LIFE OF AN OLIVE RIDLEY
Natural History: One of the smallest known sea turtles is the olive ridley turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea. The olive ridley was named for the olive color of its heart-shaped shell, the carapace (U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife Service, 2012). As hatchlings emerge from their shell they are mostly black with greenish hues on their sides and about 4 cm in length. As they become adults, they develop their full olive green color and reach between 55 and 80 cm in length. At birth these turtles weigh about 28g; as adults, the average weight ranges from 35 to 50 kg. Between regions the size and morphology of these turtles varies. For example, the carapace of an olive ridley in the Atlantic Ocean can be darker than ridleys found in the Pacific (NOAA Fisheries, 2012). Olive ridley turtles are distributed in tropical regions of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. Olive ridleys are found along the Atlantic coasts of West Africa and South America as well as from Southern California to Northern Chile (NOAA Fisheries, 2012). Sea turtles almost never leave the ocean because they become much slower and defenseless on land. However, females do so annually to nest (Marine Bio Conservation Society). An olive ridley turtle reaches sexual maturity younger than most other turtles at 13 to 15 years old (NOAA Fisheries, 2012). The majority of nesting occurs along continental margins and almost never on oceanic islands. Olive ridleys are well known for their large gatherings during nesting with other turtles known as arribadas (U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife Service, 2012), when hundreds or even thousands of females come to shore at the same time to lay their eggs. Not all females participate in arribadas; others dig up another turtle’s clutch of eggs to make room for their own (NOAA Fisheries, 2012). Most females lay 1 to 3 times per season, laying about 100 eggs each time (U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife
Maher
Final Draft
Dec 10, 2012
THE LIFE OF AN OLIVE RIDLEY
Natural History: One of the smallest known sea turtles is the olive ridley turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea. The olive ridley was named for the olive color of its heart-shaped shell, the carapace (U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife Service, 2012). As hatchlings emerge from their shell they are mostly black with greenish hues on their sides and about 4 cm in length. As they become adults, they develop their full olive green color and reach between 55 and 80 cm in length. At birth these turtles weigh about 28g; as adults, the average weight ranges from 35 to 50 kg. Between regions the size and morphology of these turtles varies. For example, the carapace of an olive ridley in the Atlantic Ocean can be darker than ridleys found in the Pacific (NOAA Fisheries, 2012). Olive ridley turtles are distributed in tropical regions of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. Olive ridleys are found along the Atlantic coasts of West Africa and South America as well as from Southern California to Northern Chile (NOAA Fisheries, 2012). Sea turtles almost never leave the ocean because they become much slower and defenseless on land. However, females do so annually to nest (Marine Bio Conservation Society). An olive ridley turtle reaches sexual maturity younger than most other turtles at 13 to 15 years old (NOAA Fisheries, 2012). The majority of nesting occurs along continental margins and almost never on oceanic islands. Olive ridleys are well known for their large gatherings during nesting with other turtles known as arribadas (U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife Service, 2012), when hundreds or even thousands of females come to shore at the same time to lay their eggs. Not all females participate in arribadas; others dig up another turtle’s clutch of eggs to make room for their own (NOAA Fisheries, 2012). Most females lay 1 to 3 times per season, laying about 100 eggs each time (U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife