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