Why Did the Population of the Olive Ridley Turtle Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829) Increase in Alas Purwo National Park’s Beach, East Java, Indonesia?

Abstract

From 1983 to 2018, in the Alas Purwo National Park (APNP) beach, the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) nested population showed a significantly increasing number compared to the other three species using the same beach. One of the reasons is believed to be the success of conservation efforts (nest relocation and protected egg incubation) to produce a balanced hatchling sex ratio. However, a balanced sex ratio is only the first step in maintaining a good number of individuals in the population. We reviewed several other factors that also influenced the increase in the olive ridley population. The Olive Ridley as the shortest sea turtle species reaches maturity faster, so the population can grow in a shorter time compared to other species. The shortage of males in the olive ridley sea turtle population might not have a dangerous effect because, owing to the ocean current, they can mate with males from other populations. They are also highly polygamous and polyandrous, and have a high degree of genetic variation that helps them to be more adaptable to the changing environment. Lastly, the low illegal hunt rate for this species can also help the population to thrive.