Olive Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
Kingdom: Animalia Class: Reptilia Order: Testudines Family: Cheloniidae
Listing Status: and
General Information
The olive ridley was named for the olive color of its heart-shaped shell and is one of the smallest of the sea turtles, with adults reaching 2 to 2.5 feet in length and weighing 80 to 110 pounds. The species may be identified by the uniquely high and variable numbers of vertebral and costal scutes. Although some individuals have only five pairs of costals, in nearly all cases some division of costal scutes occurs, so that as many as six to nine pairs may be present. In addition, the vertebral scutes also show frequent division, as do the scales on the dorsal surface of the head. The prefrontal scales, however, typically number two pairs. Existing reports suggest that the olive ridley's diet includes crabs, shrimp, rock lobsters, jellyfish, and tunicates. In some parts of the world, algae has been reported as its principal food.
Population detail
The FWS is currently monitoring the following populations of the Olive Ridley sea turtle
- Population location: Breeding colony populations on Pacific coast of Mexico
Listing status: Endangered
- Countries in which the this population is known to occur: Mexico
- For more information: http://www.fws.gov/northflorida
- Population location: Wherever found except where listed as endangered
Listing status: Threatened
- States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur: California , Hawaii
- US Counties in which this population is known to occur: View All
- Countries in which the this population is known to occur: Angola , Antigua and Barbuda , Australia , Bangladesh , Benin , Brazil , Brunei , Cambodia , Cameroon , Cape Verde , Chile , Colombia , Congo , Costa Rica , Cuba , Dominican Republic , Ecuador , El Salvador , Equatorial Guinea , Eritrea , Federated States of Micronesia , French Guiana , Gabon , Gambia , Ghana , Guadeloupe , Guatemala , Guinea , Guinea-Bissau , Guyana , Honduras , India , Indonesia , Iran , Ivory Coast , Jamaica , Japan , Kenya , Liberia , Madagascar , Malaysia , Maldives , Martinique , Mauritania , Mexico , Morocco , Mozambique , Myanmar (Burma) , Namibia , Nicaragua , Nigeria , Oman , Pakistan , Panama , Papua New Guinea , Peru , Philippines , Sao Tome and Principe , Senegal , Sierra Leone , Somalia , South Africa , Sri Lanka , Sudan , Suriname , Taiwan , Tanzania , Thailand , Togo , Trinidad and Tobago , Venezuela , Vietnam , Yemen
| Status | Date Listed | Lead Region | Where Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07/28/1978 | Southeast Region (Region 4) | Mexican nesting pop. | |
| 07/28/1978 | Southeast Region (Region 4) | except where endangered |
» Federal Register Documents
| Date | Citation Page | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 03/23/1999 | 64 FR 14051 14077 | (NOAA/NMFS) Endangered and Threatened Species; Regulations Consolidation; Final Rule |
| 06/29/1987 | 52 FR 24244 24262 | NOAA--Sea Turtle Conservation; Shrimp Trawling Requirements; 52 FR 24244- 24262 |
| 05/01/1980 | 45 FR 29054 29055 | Threatened Fish and Wildlife; Green, Loggerhead, and Olive Ridley Sea Turtles |
| 03/19/1980 | 45 FR 17588 17589 | ETWP; Green, Loggerhead, and Olive Ridley Sea Turtles |
| 07/28/1978 | 43 FR 32800 32811 | Listing and Protecting Loggerhead Sea Turtles as "Threatened Species" and Populations of Green and Olive Ridley Sea Turtles as Threatened Species or "Endangered Species" |
| Date | Citation Page | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 03/23/1999 | 64 FR 14051 14077 | (NOAA/NMFS) Endangered and Threatened Species; Regulations Consolidation; Final Rule |
| 06/29/1987 | 52 FR 24244 24262 | NOAA--Sea Turtle Conservation; Shrimp Trawling Requirements; 52 FR 24244- 24262 |
| 05/01/1980 | 45 FR 29054 29055 | Threatened Fish and Wildlife; Green, Loggerhead, and Olive Ridley Sea Turtles |
| 07/28/1978 | 43 FR 32800 32811 | Listing and Protecting Loggerhead Sea Turtles as "Threatened Species" and Populations of Green and Olive Ridley Sea Turtles as Threatened Species or "Endangered Species" |
» Recovery
Recovery Plan Information Search| Date | Title | Plan Action Status | Plan Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01/12/1998 | Recovery Plan for U.S. Pacific Populations of the Olive Ridley Turtle | View Implementation Progress | Final Revision 1 |
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 08/21/2007 | Olive ridley 5-yr review |
| 08/21/2007 | Olive ridley 5-yr review |
» Critical Habitat
No critical habitat rules have been published for the Olive Ridley sea turtle.
» Conservation Plans
No conservation plans have been created for Olive Ridley sea turtle
» Petitions
No petition findings have been published for the Olive Ridley sea turtle.
» Life History
No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.
» Other Resources
NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.
ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.
