Tortuga Golfina (Lepidochelys olivácea)

The olive ridley turtle is considered the most abundant sea turtle species in the world and is also the smallest species in the Cheloniidae family. It is characterized by having an almost circular shell, with a length that goes from 67.6 cm to 78 cm; its width is about 90% of its straight length. In general, the carapace has more than 15 major scutes, 5 dorsal scutes, and frequently more than 5 lateral pairs, although it can also present an unequal number of scutes on both sides; the anterior lateral pair is in contact with the precentral scute. The plastron has 4 inframarginal scutes, each with a pore. On the leading edge of each fin are one or two claws. The head is medium-sized, subtriangular, and has two pairs of prefrontal scales and a non-serrated horny beak with an alveolar rim. Adult carapace coloration is olive-grey or yellowish, while the plastron is cream to greenish-grey with dark spots on the fin tips. The hatchlings are dark gray to black in color and average 5 cm in length. The average weight reached by an adult is 38 kg.

Habitat: The olive ridley turtle is a pantropical species; there are no morphological differences between their populations. Its migratory circuit includes feeding areas in various coastal and pelagic environments. It nests solitary and in nests on some beaches in India, the Mexican Pacific and Central America. In Mexico, the olive ridley turtle is distributed throughout the Pacific coast.

Diet: In the breeding phase, its energy source is the yolk sac, which it uses until it can feed independently. Their diet in the juvenile phase changes drastically depending on their location, in oceanic waters they feed on pelagic organisms such as lobsters, fish eggs, etc., while in coastal waters they feed on crustaceans, mollusks, fish and salps. Thanks to its sharp and strong bill that allows it to break the hard covers, it can take advantage of various types of organisms both on the bottom and on the surface.

Location: