Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

Lepidochelys olivacea

Named for the olive-green color of its shell, the Olive Ridley is one of the smallest sea turtles—
and one of the most widely distributed, traveling tropical waters around the world.

Meet the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

Small, adaptable and widely traveled, Olive Ridley Sea Turtles inhabit tropical regions of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. They are omnivores, feeding on a varied diet that includes crustaceans, mollusks, algae and other marine life.

Photo: Joanna Gilkeson / U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

The Journey Continues

Female Olive Ridley Sea Turtles return to sandy beaches throughout tropical regions of the world to lay their eggs. Some nest alone, while others gather offshore before coming ashore together in extraordinary numbers.

These synchronized nesting events are known as arribadas. On some beaches, thousands of females may come ashore during a single event, creating one of the most remarkable spectacles in the natural world.

Photo: NOAA Fisheries

Built for the Journey

  • Ocean Travelers

    Olive Ridleys migrate long distances between feeding, breeding and nesting areas, sometimes traveling far into the open ocean.

  • Adaptable Feeders

    Their varied diet includes crustaceans, mollusks, algae and other marine organisms.

  • Arribada Nesters

    Olive Ridleys are famous for synchronized nesting events in which hundreds or thousands of females may come ashore together.

A Future Worth Protecting

Olive Ridley Sea Turtles face threats from accidental capture in fishing gear, marine debris, habitat loss and the harvesting of turtles and eggs. Protecting nesting beaches and reducing threats at sea are essential to their future.

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