Description and Biology:

General characteristics:
The Olive Ridley is a small turtle, usually less than 100 pounds. Average nesting female carapace length 55 to 75cm and weighs 35kg. The overall color of this turtle is olive green.

 

Biology:  

This is an omnivorous turtle which feeds on crustaceans, mollusks and tunicates. An average clutch size is over 110 eggs which require a 52 to 58 day incubation period. Females of Lepidochelys species tend to emerge to nest in large synchronised concentrations (arribadas) when population density is sufficiently high. The main food items recorded are crabs and shrimps, but sessile and pelagic tunicates, jellyfish and other small invertebrates appear in the diet, also fish eggs. Olive Ridleys have been captured in prawn trawls at depths of 80 to 110m, so they are certainly capable of foraging at relatively great depth.