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Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)

The Olive Ridley Turtle is a small marine turtle that occurs in Australian waters from southern Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef north to Torres Strait, the Gulf of Carpentaria, the Arafura Sea and Joseph Bonaparte Gulf in Western Australia. It is mainly an open-ocean species, but also uses coastal waters, including shallow, protected soft-bottom habitats.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Endangered.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Endangered.

Western Australia, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Endangered.

Northern Territory, Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976: Vulnerable.

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Listed migratory. Listed migratory species are a matter of national environmental significance, so a significant impact needs referral.

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Listed marine. A listed marine species under Part 13 of the EPBC Act. Killing, injuring, taking or moving it in a Commonwealth area needs a permit.

Seasonal planning

No species-specific activity or breeding months were found in the published sources used. Use the following as a works-planning prompt, not as seasonal biology.

Seasonal knowledge: Not documented in the sources used.

The month values are a general planning prompt only and do not represent known activity or breeding months for Lepidochelys olivacea.

  • Plan checks before disturbance: General planning window only. Check the work area before disturbance whenever works are scheduled.

Identification: Appearance

Adults have an olive-coloured, heart-shaped shell and are relatively small. They can be identified by their variable numbers of vertebral and costal scutes, which are often divided.

Adults have an olive-coloured, heart-shaped shell and are relatively small. They can be identified by their variable numbers of vertebral and costal scutes, which are often divided.

Identification: Confirming identity

Confirm the identity of any suspected record with a specialist and a photograph or voucher, as required by the relevant permit.

Distribution: Known range

In Australia, the species occurs along the coast from southern Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef north to Torres Strait, the Gulf of Carpentaria, the Arafura Sea and Joseph Bonaparte Gulf in Western Australia.

In Australia, the species occurs along the coast from southern Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef north to Torres Strait, the Gulf of Carpentaria, the Arafura Sea and Joseph Bonaparte Gulf in Western Australia.

Distribution: National mapping

The Commonwealth species distribution model (SNES) maps where the species or its habitat is known, likely or may occur. Use it with local records and site inspection.

Habitat: Habitat

Olive Ridley Turtles mainly inhabit open ocean waters, but also occur in coastal areas. They use shallow, protected waters, especially soft-bottomed habitats, and may forage in bays and estuaries.

Olive Ridley Turtles mainly inhabit open ocean waters, but also occur in coastal areas. They use shallow, protected waters, especially soft-bottomed habitats, and may forage in bays and estuaries.

Foraging habitat: Diet

The Olive Ridley Turtle is omnivorous. Its reported food includes algae, crabs, shrimp, lobsters, tunicates, molluscs, jellyfish and fish.

The Olive Ridley Turtle is omnivorous. Its reported food includes algae, crabs, shrimp, lobsters, tunicates, molluscs, jellyfish and fish.

Breeding habitat: Breeding

Females come ashore to nest, sometimes in large aggregations called arribadas. They may nest once or twice in a season, laying clutches of about 100 eggs.

Females come ashore to nest, sometimes in large aggregations called arribadas. They may nest once or twice in a season, laying clutches of about 100 eggs.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter

Not documented in the published sources used for this profile.

Not documented in the published sources used for this profile.

Threats: Threats

Olive Ridley Turtles can be caught incidentally in fisheries. Longlines, coastal trawls and nets are identified as sources of capture and mortality.

Olive Ridley Turtles can be caught incidentally in fisheries. Longlines, coastal trawls and nets are identified as sources of capture and mortality.

Threats: Works risk

In-water activity involving longlines, coastal trawls or nets can cause incidental capture and mortality. The species’ pelagic habits make it particularly exposed to interactions with fisheries.

Survey methodology: 1. Commonwealth guidance

Use methods consistent with the Commonwealth survey guidelines and engage a specialist with the right permits.

For EPBC Act referrals, survey effort and methods should be consistent with the ePBC Act publications, including the National Guidelines for the Survey of Cetaceans, Marine Turtles and the Dugong (2024), read with the Significant impact guidelines 1.1.

Survey methodology: 2. Limits

A non-detection is not proof of absence. Match survey timing to the species and season, and record effort.

Vegetation associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific vegetation association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Ecosystem associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific ecosystem association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Soil and substrate associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific soil association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Water and wetland associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific water association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Fauna records and mapped habitat: Not yet analysed

Record locations can be overlaid with mapping, but record frequency alone does not measure habitat preference. No species is excluded from desktop assessments by this analysis.

No quality-controlled record-to-map analysis has been completed for this species. The existing generalised distribution dots and indicative range polygons have not been treated as precise occurrence coordinates.

A defensible run needs dated, independently attributable records, coordinate uncertainty, duplicate and captive-record checks, layer versions and regional scope. Preference and absence require additional survey-effort and detection evidence.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: No supported exclusion recorded

Not recorded is not the same as cannot occur. Low suitability, resident habitat, breeding habitat and occasional movement are different conclusions.

This library has not established a vegetation, ecosystem or soil-type exclusion for this species. This does not mean all habitat is suitable; the evidence needed to justify an exclusion has not been assembled.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: Before using a negative association

  • Confirm the taxon, geographic region, life stage and habitat function covered by the evidence.
  • Check survey methods, season, repeated effort and detectability before interpreting non-detection.
  • Investigate credible contradictory records and microhabitats absent from broad mapping.
  • Do not convert a missing map class, low record count or failed data request into species absence.

Before disturbance: 1. Desktop and approvals

Confirm whether the project could affect the species before works begin.

Check national mapping, state records and recent surveys for the site. An action likely to have a significant impact on this nationally listed species needs EPBC Act referral, and state permits apply where it is state listed.

Before disturbance: 2. Plan to avoid

Plan in-water works, vessel movements and lighting to avoid known habitat and sensitive periods, and set observer and shutdown procedures before works start.

During disturbance: 1. Controls

Keep works inside the approved footprint and conditions.

Use spotters and exclusion zones for in-water works and vessels, and pause works if the species is seen within the zone.

During disturbance: 2. Stop and report

If the species is found unexpectedly, stop work at that spot and contact the project ecologist and the relevant agency.

After disturbance: 1. Records

Record outcomes.

Record sightings, habitat lost or retained and any injury or death, and report them under the approval conditions.

Rehabilitation: 1. Restore

Restore disturbed habitat where possible.

Remove temporary structures, restore natural flow and substrate, and monitor water quality until it returns to baseline.

Sources