Facts about Olive Ridley Sea Turtle

1. 07

   An adult Olive Ridley sea turtle can hold its breath for up to seven hours while resting on the ocean floor, conserving oxygen by dramatically slowing its heart rate.

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2. 06

   Fewer than one in 1,000 Olive Ridley sea turtle hatchlings survive to adulthood due to predation, disease, and ocean currents during their vulnerable early years.

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3. 05

   During their oceanic phase, Olive Ridley sea turtles can travel over 7,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean to reach feeding grounds off the coast of Peru and Ecuador.

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4. 04

   Shell coloration in Olive Ridley sea turtles ranges from olive to dark gray, and their carapace typically measures 24 to 28 inches in length at maturity.

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5. 03

   Hatchlings of this species can navigate using the Earth's magnetic field, detecting variations as subtle as 50 nanoteslas to orient toward ocean currents during their first journey to sea.

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6. 02

   Olive Ridley sea turtles weigh only 40 to 50 pounds at adulthood, making them the smallest living sea turtle species by a significant margin.

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7. 01

   Synchronized mass nestings called arribadas see up to 100,000 female Olive Ridley sea turtles return to the same beach within days to lay eggs.

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