Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
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The Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), is one of two marine turtles with a limited geographical range.
Perhaps the most endangered sea turtle species, it only breeds along the Northern Mexico and Southern Texas shores.
Like many Gulf Coast residents, its diet consists primarily of crabs, supplemented by shrimp, jellyfish and other local sea creatures. Its foraging range extends along the Atlantic Coast of the United States.
Ridley breeding habits make them vulnerable to drastic population drops. Both the Olive Ridley and Kemp's Ridley species exhibit centralized mating and nesting practices called arribadas.
Because females typically move, en masse, to a central nesting ground, any environmental threat to the breeding or nesting ground poses a threat to the entire population.
It is listed as endangered throughout its range. The National Marine Fisheries Service notes a slight recovery in population levels over the past few years.
© 2007. Patricia A. Michaels