More than 1,100 dead olive ridley turtles have washed ashore on the beaches of Tamil Nadu state in southern India this month. With an adult weight of up to 45 kg, the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle is the smallest species of sea turtle and is listed by the IUCN as vulnerable. On certain beaches, thousands of these turtles congregate to nest at once, a behaviour known as arribada. These massive nesting episodes are caused by the mating season, which normally lasts from November to April. The Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans' tropical waters are home to Olive Ridleys. Important nesting sites in India include Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Odisha (Gahirmatha, Devi, Rushikulya).