Olive Ridley turtles nest mainly along the coast of
Olive Ridley Lepidochelys olivacea smallest sea turtle performs arribada mass nesting where thousands females simultaneously nest on specific beaches. Odisha coast supports largest global rookeries at Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary, Rushikulya river mouth, and Devi River mouth. Arribada occurs December-March driven by wind, lunar cycle. Gahirmatha recorded over half million nests single season. Turtles require undisturbed sandy beaches above high tide, low artificial lighting. Odisha government enforces trawler-free zone 20 km, TED turtle excluder devices, Indian Coast Guard Operation Olivia protects during breeding migration. Field identification relies on this character, making it essential for wildlife surveys and protected area management protocols.
Ref: WII Olive Ridley Arribada Odisha Gahirmatha Rushikulya; MoEFCC Olive Ridley Nesting Sites Odisha