The Influence of Environmental Factors on Olive Ridley Nesting Behavior  

• Isabella Piazza, Environmental Science, University of Delaware

• Pinki Mondal, Department of Geography & Spatial Sciences, University of Delaware

Olive Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) rely on specific coastal habitats for successful reproduction. Understanding Olive Ridleys’ nesting behavior outside of mass nesting events is crucial to protecting critical nesting beaches like Ostional Beach, Costa Rica. During a two-week field study on Ostional Beach, I conducted research on how environmental factors, such as time of night, tidal stage, and weather, affect their nesting activities outside of mass laying events. During the two weeks, nightly patrols were conducted in two alternating shifts: 8:00p.m.-12:00a.m. and 12:00a.m.-4:00a.m., recording the number of nesting turtles, weather conditions, and tidal stage. In addition, we collected biometric data, blood samples, and tagged new turtles for the town of Ostional and its conservation project. My findings reveal that nesting activity was highest during patrols from 8:00p.m.-12:00a.m., and at high tide, most likely suggesting a smaller amount of beach to crawl. Nesting was reduced during storm events but continued to rise during light precipitation. These findings indicate that short-term environmental conditions considerably influence the individual nesting behavior of the Olive Ridleys and can contribute to improving the timing of monitoring and conservation efforts at Ostional Beach and other mass nesting beaches worldwide.