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Olive Ridley Turtles: Chennai Hatcheries Set Up for Nesting

6 January 20261 min read
ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGYOlive RidleyTurtles: ChennaiHatcheries Set Upfor Nesting6 January 2026safalsetu.com

Why in the news

As the nesting season got under way, authorities built turtle hatcheries along Chennai’s coastline.

Key facts

  • The Olive Ridley is among the smallest, most plentiful sea turtles, with an olive-green heart-shaped shell.
  • Famous for arribada, when thousands of females nest together on chosen beaches.

Nesting in India

PatternLocations
Mass nestingGahirmatha, Rushikulya, Devi River mouth (Odisha coast)
Solitary nestingTamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar

Conservation status

  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
  • Indian law: Schedule I species, Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Exam angle

  • Term for mass nesting: arribada.
  • Odisha mass-nesting beaches.

Test yourself

1. What is the mass nesting phenomenon of Olive Ridley turtles called?

Arribada is when thousands of females nest at the same time.

2. Which of these is a mass nesting site of Olive Ridley turtles on the Odisha coast?

Gahirmatha, Rushikulya and Devi River mouth are the named mass-nesting sites.

3. What is the IUCN Red List status of the Olive Ridley sea turtle in these notes?

The species is listed as Vulnerable.

This topic is part of Daily Current Affairs 4 & 5 January 2026 (16 topics).

All topics of the dayDay quizJanuary 2026

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