Olive sea turtles are also called ridleys. The species is considered vulnerable due to a number of threats. You can most often meet representatives of the Ridley genus near the coastal part of the subtropical and tropical sea or ocean.
Description
The olive turtle can grow up to 70 cm in length. Her body weight does not exceed 45 kg. The shape of the shell is heart-shaped, the color is gray-olive. Turtles are born black, they brighten over time. They have a triangular head shape with shallow concavities. The anterior part of the carapace is curved upwards. Males differ from females in a more massive jaw, a depressed plastron and a thick tail.
Habitat
Comfortable places for the olive ridley are the shores of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, South Australia, New Zealand, Micronesia, Japan and the northern regions of Saudi Arabia. Less common in the Caribbean and in Puerto Rico. In water, the animal can dive to a depth of no more than 160 m.
Lifestyle & Nutrition
The behavior of olive turtles is characterized by constant calmness. In the morning they are in search of food, andthe rest of the day is spent in measured swimming on the surface of the water. They prefer to be in the company of their own kind all the time. From the sharp cooling of the water, they are saved by the fact that they huddle into a large livestock, thereby retaining heat. In moments of imminent danger, they prefer to avoid it in any way. On land, wild pigs, opossums, and snakes that devastate clutches pose a threat to their lives.
Olive turtle can be called an omnivore, but more often prefers animal food. Its usual diet includes various invertebrates (shrimp, crabs, snails and jellyfish). It also feeds on algae. Sometimes swallows inedible objects, including garbage thrown out by people (fragments of plastic bags, polystyrene, etc.). While in captivity, it can eat members of its own species.
Reproduction
Every spring or early summer (the onset of the mating season depends on the place of mating), an adult olive turtle, the photo of which is presented below, returns to the beach where it first saw the light, to continue its kind. Moreover, the place of reproduction throughout the life cycle remains unchanged. This phenomenon was called "arribida" (Spanish for "coming"). Turtles determine the place of their birth accurately, despite the fact that they can experience the period of growing up in other territories. According to biologists, olive ridleys use the Earth's magnetic field as a guide.
The animal countssexually mature when its body length is at least 60 cm. Mating of the male and female takes place in the water, and the laying of eggs takes place on land. First, a female individual rakes a hole about 35 cm deep with her hind legs. Then the female lays about a hundred eggs, after which she backfills it with sand and tramples it, thereby making the place inconspicuous for natural enemies. This completes the turtle's maternal mission - it returns to the lands of its permanent residence. The offspring is left to itself or by chance.
Temperature is the main factor influencing the sex of a reptile. In a cold environment, males are formed, and in a warm environment (more than 30 degrees Celsius) - females. The incubation period lasts about 45-50 days. At the end of this period, the hatched turtles get to sea or ocean water. They do this exclusively at night, thereby reducing the risk of collision with predators. A special egg tooth allows turtles to deftly break through the shell.
Population
There are many creatures living in the water and on land that strive to feast on olive ridleys. The embryos are eaten by coyotes, crows, dogs, vultures, and others. Hatched young turtles are fed by the above predators, as well as frigatebirds and snakes. Sharks are the main danger in the sea and ocean. Most turtles do not have time to live to puberty, which is why the number of individuals is rapidly declining.
There are other reasons why the species is listed in the Red Book. The olive turtle is a constant victim of illegal capture. For poachersboth adults and egg embryos are valuable. Further, ridleys end up in the kitchens of trendy restaurants, among whose visitors dishes from turtle meat are in demand.
The number of brood also depends on the environmental factor and natural disasters. Garbage drifting in the world's oceans, a curious turtle loves to swallow, thereby causing irreparable harm to his body. Reptiles often get caught in fishing nets. This threatens animals with rapid death. Recently, however, fishermen have been using modern nets in which it is impossible for a large turtle to get entangled.
Many residents of India and Mexico, both on a voluntary basis and at the state level, use the incubation method, after which they release the born olive turtles into the long-awaited expanse of water. As for life expectancy, the age of the most dexterous individuals can reach 70 years.
