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Olive Ridley turtle

Olive Ridley turtle

Appearance and lifestyle:

The Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) is so named for the olive-green colour of its shell, it is the smallest turtle in South African waters, weighing 35 kg on average. Olive Ridleys display a behaviour called arribada, where hundreds of thousands of turtle's nest on a beach at the same time.

Habitat:

They have scattered breeding in the western Indian Ocean which also includes northern Mozambique, and they are occasional migrants to the east coast.

Diet:

The Olive Ridley turtle is mostly carnivorous, feeding on jellyfish, crabs and snails.

Threats:

Olive Ridley turtles are on the IUCN red list as vulnerable; they are vulnerable and declining in number. Some of the threats they face are plastic pollution, poaching, climate change.

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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.