Scientists unsure as Olive Ridley ‘Arribada’ starts a month early.

• Officials and scientists are unsure as to what could have caused the start of the mass nesting or ‘Arribada’ of Olive Ridley turtles at the Rushikulya rookery in Odisha’s district.
• Rushikulya beach is considered the second biggest rookery for sea turtles in India after Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, Odisha.
• Suitable climatic and beach conditions were some of the reasons for the early mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles.

About Olive Ridley turtles

• These are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
• These turtles are carnivores and get their name from their olive-coloured carapace.
• They are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.
• Olive Ridley Turtes are found in warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
• Protection Status-
  • included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972,
  • listed as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List
  • mentioned in appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).