The earliest ancestor of modern day sea turtles appeared about 120 million years ago. Interestingly, these species laid hard-shelled eggs, as opposed to the soft-shelled eggs that we see now. Then a big mass extinction event around 66 million years ago wiped out about 50 percent of plants and animals. But not these guys – sea turtles managed to survive! … Read More
Sea Turtles Stories, a podcast from Olive Ridley Project, launches on 16th June 2024. The series delves into the world of sea turtles, featuring lively conversations with experts who offer insights into various aspects of sea turtles’ life cycle and conservation practices.
Did you know that sea turtles have been around since the days of the dinosaurs? Sadly, they are now threatened with extinction. Welcome to Sea Turtle Stories, a podcast where sea turtle experts from around the globe help us uncover the lives of sea turtles and the conservation practices associated with them – from the mysterious lost years of hatchlings, … Read More
Heidi was one of our most widely loved sea turtle patients. He was admitted to the Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in 2018 with severe ghost gear entanglement injuries and was deemed un-releasable due to one missing and one non-functional front flipper. He was transferred to Plymouth, UK, to live out his days in the National Marine Aquarium.
The first ever National Red List for the Maldives is now live. This endeavour that was possible in part due to the efforts of Olive Ridley Project’s founder, Dr. Martin Stelfox and senior scientist, Dr. Stephanie Köhnk, both of whom were leading the assessment for specific turtle species.
Maldives Underwater Initiative (MUI) is a partnership of NGOs and Six Senses Laamu Resort consolidating our research, science communication and community outreach work to conserve marine life in Laamu Atoll. ORP and MUI aim to make Laamu Atoll a safer place for sea turtles.
Andy Torbet is an ex-Bomb Disposal Officer, Paratrooper and Army Diver turned professional underwater explorer, deep- and cave-diver, skydiver and wingsuit pilot, climber and TV Presenter. We are excited to welcome him as our new ambassador.
ORP’s First Sea Turtle Research Expedition – A Great Success Our first sea turtle research expedition in Haa Alif Atoll last November was a great success. The ORP team and volunteers surveyed 25 sites and recorded a total of 91 turtle sightings. In addition, we encountered sharks, dolphins, rays, and many tropical fish. Unfortunately, we also added 37 ghost gear … Read More
What To Do With All That Ghost Gear? How can we repurpose and reuse ghost gear? That is the big question! The Olive Ridley Project has partnered with several artists and organisations trying to find viable options. Reuse of Ghost Gear in Traditional Crafts Seher Mirza is a textile researcher at the Royal College of Arts, London. Her … Read More
We are excited to welcome Rock and Roll legend Matt Sorum as an ambassador to ORP. Matt Sorum joins the ORP team as an ambassador to help spread the message on sea turtle conservation. We caught up with Matt and this is what he had to say: “The issue of ghost nets and debris in our oceans is staggering. When … Read More
