Lepidochelys Kempii

Names and Classification
Lepidochelys kempii
Kemp’s Ridley
Synonyms: Atlantic Ridley, Gulf Ridley, Lepidochelys kempii
Family: Cheloniidae (Kemp’s Ridley)
Description
The Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) has five costal scutes and has four scutes with pores on the bridge. L. Kempii is the smallest sea turtle. They can grow up to 700 mm in length and up to 45kg in weight. They only have one claw on the front flippers and the back flippers could have up to two claws (NOAA, 2015). L. Kempii has an olive green carapace with a yellowish-brown plastron (Figure 1) (Spotila, 2004; NOAA, 2015). (Cover photo: NOAA, 2015)
Figure 1. Kemp’s ridley Sea turtle Distribution
L. Kempii lives in warm waters such as the North Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf …show more content…
Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Range

Habitat
Adult Kemp’s ridley prefers sandy and muddy bottoms. These bottom characteristics make it easier to find prey. Hatchlings and adults occupy different environments. Since juveniles try to escape predators from land, it has been confirmed that they go through an open ocean stage (NOAA, 2015).

Conservation Biology
Life Cycle and Reproduction
The sexual maturity age for the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle can range from eleven to thirty-five years. The Kemp’s ridley sea turtle reproduces sexually, the male and female mate in the water. The female Kemp’s ridley has a special nesting behavior which is called “aribada”. All of the females lay eggs on the beach at once, and the nesting season lasts from April until July. When the female Kemp’s ridley is on the beach, she digs a pit in the sand with her back legs. She could lay up to 200 eggs. The eggs tend to measure between 34 to 45mm, and the eggs take 48-62 days to hatch. The eggs will hatch at night and the light of the moon reflecting off of the water guides the hatchlings to the ocean. The hatchlings will return to the same beach to lay eggs once they reach maturity (MarineBio, 2013).
Feeding …show more content…
The fishing gear includes: trawls, gill nets, longlines, taps/pots, and dredges. Another threat to Kemp’s ridley is egg collection. This is not as big of a problem as it used to be before nesting beaches were protected in 1966 (NOAA, 2015).
The nesting population of the Kemp’s ridley was at its lowest point in the mid-1980s. In 1978 a head-starting program was created, and now the nest population has remained steady (Peter, et al., 1997).

Biography of Preparer
Growing up in a coastal community, Morgan Hudgins has always been interested in marine life. She comes from a long line of fisherman, so her curiosity of marine life comes naturally. Morgan was raised around boats and on the water whether it be a river or the Intracoastal Waterway. Having seen different species of marine life during her childhood sparked a yearning to learn more, so she went into the marine technology program at Cape Fear Community College. At CFCC, Morgan continues to foster her interest and love for marine life and the water. She is currently working towards a marine technology degree.

Literature

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