Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
By: Elizabeth Pepper
Common & Latin Names● Common Names- Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
or Atlantic Ridley Sea Turtle
● Latin Name- Lepidochelys kempii
Life History● Live in floating sargassum seaweed beds for
their first years.● Change color as they mature (colors on next
slide)
Physical Characteristics● Size- 60-90 cm. (24-35 in.)● Weight- 45 kg (99 lbs)● Color-
– Hatchlings- Dark Gray-Black– Mature adults- Yellow-Green or White plastron
and a Grey-Green carapace
Reproduction● Age- 10-12● Gestation- The eggs are buried on shore for 45-70
days● Litter size- 110 per clutch*● Interesting Facts-
– Nest 2-3 times in a season, keeping 10-28 days between nestings
– Sex of hatchling is determined by temperature of in the area during incubation*
Clutch- Al the eggs that are produced by birds, amphibians, or reptiles
Incubation- The process of hatching eggs, cells, bacteria, & diseases
Diet● Mollusks● Crustaceans● Jellyfish● Fish● Algae or Seaweed● Sea Urchins
Habitat● Warm shallow
water that has muddy or sandy bottoms
Distribution
Ecology & Behavior● Ecology
– Nests in large groups– Nest on an average of every 1.5 years
● Behavior– Strongly adapted to swimming– Spends most of life in isolation– Contact occurs only during mating & nesting
Predators, Parasites, & Diseases● Predators
– Tiger Sharks– Herons– Seabirds– Killer Whales– Humans– Raccoons
Predators, Parasites, & Diseases● Parasites
– Papilloma virus– Mycobacterium chelonae– Collectotrichum acutatum– Cephalosporium sp.– Fusarium solani– Scolecobasidium constrictum– Paecilomyces sp.– Penicillium sp.– Ozobranchus margoi
Predators, Parasites, & Diseases● Diseases
– Fibropapillomatosis– Osteoarthritis– Pneumonia– Dermatomycosis
Cause of Listing● Human Activities
– Collection of eggs– Killing adults & juveniles for meat
● Incidental take by shrimp trawlers
Status & Management● Delaware
– Endangered● Federal
– Critically Endangered● Management
– Nesting under full protection in Mexico
Impacts if Eliminated● Seagrass beds will become unhealthy● Coral Reefs will become unhealthy● Key habitat for other marine life will be
gone● Marine food webs & facilitating nutrient
cycle from water to land will be gone
Sources● http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/kempsridley.htm
● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kemp's_ridley_sea_turtle
● http://www.seaturtles911.org/turtle/kemps-ridley.htm
● http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Lepidochelys_kempii/
● http://www.seaturtle.org/pdf/ocr/AlfaroA_2010_Synopsisofinfectionsinseaturtlescau.pdf
● http://oceana.org/sites/default/files/reports/Why_Healthy_Oceans_Need_Sea_Turtles.pdf
● http://www.fws.gov/northflorida/seaturtles/turtle%20factsheets/kemps-ridley-sea-turtle.htm
● http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/NHESP/information/Pages/Endangered.aspx