Threats and Vulnerabilities for the Globally Distributed Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) Sea Turtle: A Historical and Current Status Evaluation

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Showing one of the most extraordinary phenomena in nature, with thousands or hundreds of thousands of females coming out of the water to nest in a highly synchronized event, specific to very unique and yet birth-determined beach remote locations, the olive ridley is the second smallest and the most cosmopolitan of the seven sea turtles species of the world. Nevertheless, olive ridley populations have dramatically decreased during the last 50 years, nearly entirely caused by anthropogenic but also environmental and climatic pressures. In the following pages, we attempted to provide a very broad description of the main biological and ecological features of this species from a historical perspective to their current status. We identified and listed the main threats to which olive ridleys are currently exposed. By the end of the document, we listed a number of general recommendations to help the protection and conservation of olive ridleys. ABSTRACT: The olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) is the most abundant of all seven sea turtles, found across the tropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans in over 80 different countries all around the globe. Despite being the most common and widely distributed sea turtle, olive ridley populations have been declining substantially for decades. Worldwide, olive ridleys have experienced a 30–50% decline, putting their populations at risk and being considered an Endangered Species by the IUCN. Natural habitat degradation, pollution, bycatch, climate change, predation by humans and animals, infectious diseases and illegal trade are the most notorious threats to explain olive ridley populations rapidly decline. The present review assesses the numerous dangers that the olive ridley turtle has historically faced and currently faces. To preserve olive ridleys, stronger conservation initiatives and strategies must continue to be undertaken. Policies and law enforcement for the protection of natural environments and reduction in the effects of climate change should be implemented worldwide to protect this turtle species.