Learn
ID guide and teacher material
An ID guide for the beach and material for the classroom.
- Confirm by
- Shell and flippersNot size.
- Most reliable mark
- Two clawsOn each front flipper.
- Lesson
- 40 minutesOne action for the class.
- Languages
- Tamil and EnglishSay which when you book.
Field guide
Identifying an Olive Ridley
An adult turtle on the sand here is almost always an Olive Ridley. Confirm by shell and flippers, not size.
- Shell colour
Olive to grey-green when wet, duller when dry.
- Shell shape
Heart-shaped from above: widest at the shoulders, pointed at the tail.
- Size
About 60 to 70 cm of shell in an adult.
- Front flippers
Two visible claws on each front flipper. The most reliable feature.
- Head
Small and rounded relative to the body.
- Tracks
Staggered flipper marks, not matched pairs. Tracks going up with none coming down mean she may still be there.
Also on the sand
Hatchlings and nests
Small and fast
Hatchlings
Near-black, matchbox-length, with large heads and flippers. They head straight for the brightest horizon, which here is often the road.
Above the high-tide line
Nests
A body pit and a patch of sunken, disturbed sand above the high-tide line, usually with tracks. Eggs sit about 45 cm down, so vehicles on sand crush nests you cannot see.
Do not dig or mark it. Use report a turtle.
Classroom
For teachers
Any school on this coast can host a session. Details are on the sessions page.
- One 40-minute lessonThe animal, the local season, the four main threats to hatchlings, and one action for the class.
- A beach surveyCount and sort what is on the sand, then compare next term.
- The lighting exerciseA torch and a dark room show why hatchlings walk toward streetlights.
- What we askTell us the language and year group in advance.
Sessions and material are in Tamil and English. Say which when you book.
Print and share
Downloads
An ID card, teacher pack, beach poster and night code card are being prepared in Tamil and English. They will be listed here when ready.
- ID cardIn preparation
- Teacher packIn preparation
- Beach posterIn preparation
- Night code cardIn preparation
Bring this to your school
Sessions and material are in Tamil and English.