Lepidochelys kempii

Conservation status

International: ‘Critically Endangered’ [World Conservation Union]

Description

Adults: Carapace grayish green; plastron pale yellowish to cream; triangular head with distinct beak. Kemps Ridley is the smallest sea turtle in the world with carapace measuring only ~ 0.6-0.7 m

Hatchlings: Carapace black; plastron dark.

Two pairs of prefrontal scales between the eyes.

Distribution and habitat

Kemp’s Ridley Turtles occur throughout the Gulf of Mexico and along the North American East Coast from Florida to Canada. Occasionally the Kemp’s Ridley has been seen around the Azores and in the Mediterranean Sea.

Preferred habitats have sandy or muddy bottoms where prey can be found, especially inshore and near-shore waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico around Louisiana.

Diet

Kemps Ridley Turtles are carnivorous and feed mainly on swimming crabs, though they also eat molluscs, fish and jellyfish.

Breeding

Breeding season: April – July with hatchlings emerging June – September.

Breeding areas: Nearly 95 % of all Kemp’s Ridley nesting occurs in Mexico, with smaller scale nesting also occurring in Texas, North and South Carolina and Florida.

Nesting at the main nesting beach at Rancho Nuevo in Mexico decreased dramatically from an estimated 42000 nesting turtles in one day in 1947 to only 200 turtles nesting annually between 1978 and 1991. Nesting has increased steadily since then with almost 4000 turtles now nesting annually at Rancho Nuevo.

Clutch size: ~ 100 eggs

Clutch number per season: 2-3

Main threats

Incidental capture in fishing gear, boat strike, loss of nesting habitat.

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