With carapace length of about 45 cm, olive ridley is the smaller marine turtle species. The coloration is uniform olive, without distinctive marking. This species occurs in parts of the Indian Ocean, in the Pacific, and parts of the Atlantic Ocean.
The olive (pacific) Ridley was undergoing a very high rate of exploitation along the Pacific coast of Mexico due to the demand for leather and oil. The main nesting areas of this species are in the French Guiana and in Surinam.