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Olive Ridley turtle

Olive Ridley turtle

The Olive Ridley turtle is so named for the olive-green colour of its shell. These turtles enter South African waters as strays and are the smallest turtles in our waters, weighing 35 kg on average. Olive Ridleys display a behaviour called arribada, where hundreds of thousands of turtles nest on a beach at the same time. They are vulnerable and declining in number.

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Olive Ridley turtles are solitary, preferring open ocean.
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The Olive Ridley turtle is mostly carnivorous, feeding on jellyfish, crabs and snails.
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Olive Ridley turtles are the most abundant turtle species, although it is still vulnerable to population decline.