Pacific Ridley
Pacific RidleyPacific RidleyPacific RidleyPacific Ridley

Pacific Ridley

Lepidochelys olivacea

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Corcovado National Park
28 Verified records at Corcovado National Park
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world. L. olivacea is found in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, but also in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. This turtle and the related Kemp's ridley sea turtle are best known for their unique synchronised mass nestings called arribadas, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Pacific Ridley sighting in Corcovado National Park, based on 28 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Corcovado National Park

Green Turtle
LC

Green Turtle

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Chelonia mydas

10–20% · With luck
Hawksbill
CR

Hawksbill

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Eretmochelys imbricata

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
10–20
Feb
5–10
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
20–30
Jun
10–20
Jul
10–20
Aug
30–40
Sep
<5
Oct
10–20
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
30–40%
2 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
20–30%
3 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
4 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
5 Utría National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
6 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
7 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data
8 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
9 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
10 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
11 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
12 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
13 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
14 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
15 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
16 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
17 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Pacific Ridley in Corcovado National Park?

About 15% of wildlife watchers report a Pacific Ridley sighting in Corcovado National Park, based on 28 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Pacific Ridley in Corcovado National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Pacific Ridley in Corcovado National Park in our monthly data.

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