Olive Ridley Turtles

Olive Ridley Turtle Nesting is under threat due to human activities. Read here to understand the causes, impacts and way forward.

The ongoing olive ridley turtle (ORT) nesting season along India’s eastern coastline has once again brought into sharp focus the conflict between marine conservation and human economic activity.

The discovery of multiple turtle carcasses entangled in fishing nets, coupled with concerns over artificial lighting near nesting beaches, underscores the fragile state of one of the world’s most unique marine phenomena, mass nesting (arribada).

Olive Ridley Turtles

The olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) is the smallest and most abundant sea turtle species globally, named after its distinctive olive-green, heart-shaped carapace.

Distribution

• Found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans
• Inhabits both open ocean (pelagic) and nearshore coastal waters

Diet and Behaviour

• Omnivorous: feeds on jellyfish, crustaceans, snails, fish eggs, and algae
• Undertakes long-distance transoceanic migrations
• Migrates from the Pacific into the Indian Ocean, reaching Indian waters between November and December and staying until April-May

Arribada: A Unique Nesting Phenomenon

One of the most remarkable features of olive ridley turtles is their synchronised mass nesting, known as arribada.

• Thousands of females come ashore simultaneously on narrow sandy beaches, often near estuaries and bays
• Each female lays 100-140 eggs in a single nesting event
• This strategy overwhelms predators and improves hatchling survival

Major Nesting Sites in India

• Gahirmatha (Odisha)- World’s largest mass nesting site
• Rushikulya River mouth (Odisha)
• Devi River mouth (Odisha)
• Visakhapatnam and Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh)
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Legal and Conservation Status

Legal Protection

• Protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (highest level of protection)
• Listed under Appendix I of CITES, prohibiting international trade
• Categorised as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List

Key Conservation Measures in India

• Operation Olivia: Conducted annually by the Indian Coast Guard to enforce fishing bans near nesting sites
• Seasonal fishing restrictions along the Odisha coast during nesting months
• Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) are mandated in trawl nets to allow turtles to escape
• Tagging programmes to study migration routes and population dynamics
• Satellite telemetry study (2025-2027) in Tamil Nadu using satellite and flipper tags to track nesting behaviour and interactions with fisheries

Major Threats During the Nesting Season

1. Bycatch in Fishing Nets (Most Significant Threat)

• Accidental entanglement in trawl nets and gill nets
• Turtles drown due to an inability to surface for air
• Peaks during the nesting season, when turtles congregate near shore

2. Artificial Lighting

• Bright lights from:
  • Ports
  • Coastal infrastructure
  • Tourism facilities
• Disorients nesting females and hatchlings
• Hatchlings move inland instead of toward the sea, increasing mortality

3. Illegal Poaching and Egg Collection

• Despite trade bans, illegal harvesting of eggs and meat persists
• Driven by local consumption and black-market demand

4. Coastal Development

• Beach erosion, sand mining, and construction reduce suitable nesting habitat
• Ports and breakwaters alter coastal currents and sediment flow

5. Marine Pollution

• Plastic debris mistaken for jellyfish
• Oil spills and chemical pollution degrade nearshore habitats

Why This Matters: Ecological Significance

• Sea turtles are keystone species:
  • Maintain healthy seagrass beds and marine food webs
  • Contribute nutrients to beach ecosystems through eggs and hatchlings
• Loss of olive ridley turtles would disrupt the coastal and marine ecological balance
• Arribada beaches are indicators of coastal ecosystem health

Way Forward

Strengthening Fisheries Management

• Strict enforcement of TED usage
• Real-time monitoring of fishing vessels using VMS and AIS
• Incentivising turtle-friendly fishing gear

Reducing Light Pollution

• Adoption of “dark beach” protocols
• Shielded, low-wavelength lighting near nesting beaches
• Temporary shutdown of non-essential lights during arribada

Community Participation

• Engage local fishing communities as conservation partners
• Compensation mechanisms for loss of fishing days
• Promote eco-tourism linked to turtle conservation

Science-Based Monitoring

• Expand satellite telemetry and genetic studies
• Integrate data into marine spatial planning

Conclusion

The plight of olive ridley turtles during the nesting season highlights the broader challenge of balancing livelihoods, coastal development, and biodiversity conservation.

While India has one of the strongest legal frameworks for sea turtle protection, effective enforcement, community involvement, and habitat-sensitive coastal planning remain crucial.

Protecting the arribada is not just about saving a species; it is about preserving the integrity of India’s marine ecosystems for future generations.

Related articles:

• Wildlife management in India
• Critically endangered animal species of India