All About the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Kemp's_ridley_sea_turtle

A Brief Description

The Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle, or scientifically named the Thalassochelys kempii, is named after Richard M. Kemp, the fisherman who discovered the species.  The Kemp's Ridley diverged from another Sea Turtle species called the Olive Ridley approximately 2.5 to 3.5 million years ago.  The average weight of an adult varies from 70 pounds to 108 pounds! Their shells are almost as wide as they are and is approximately 60-65 cm long.  As they develop from babies to adults they change from a grey-black shell and yellowish white body to a grey-olive shell and cream-white body.  Males are not well described but resemble the females in size and coloration.

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/kemps-ridley-sea-turtle/

Females reach sexual maturity at the age of 12. They nest every two years and their eggs are between 34-45 mm in diameter and 24-40 g in weight.  Their nesting is mostly restricted to the beaches of the Western Gulf of Mexico (specifically Rancho Nuevo) and within the United States the majority of the nesting occurs in South Texas.  This species can be found in the Northern Atlantic for feeding.

Reaching Extinction

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20110922_kempsridley.html

The Kemp's Ridley was listed as endangered on December 2, 1970 and has received federal protection since that time under the ESA.  The International Union for the Conservation of Nature lists the Kemp’s Ridley as Critically Endangered. Not only is this sea turtle critically endangered, but it is the smallest sea turtle species in existence!  According to the World Wildlife Fund, breeding populations have dwindled from 100,000's in the 1940's to only a few hundred in the 1980's!

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/kempsridley.htm

Main Threats

There are many threats that have lead to this species endangerment.  Some main threats that contributed to this species decline are:

• Habitat loss and Degradation
• Collection of eggs and meat for consumption
• Climate Change
• Pollution

But, the biggest threat by far is fisheries bycatch. Such as incidental capture through shrimp trawling and other fishing net/gear.

Description of recovery plan

After the original recovery plan was approved in 1984, a bi-national recovery plan revision was initiated in 2002.  This plan is to maintain the conservation efforts that have proven successful including:

http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/species/turtles/kempsridley.htm

1. Reinforcing habitat protection efforts, protecting nests, and maintaining/increasing hatchling production levels (on the beach)
2. Maintain use of turtle excluder devices(TEDs) in fisheries and expanding this to all trawl fisheries (in the water)
3. Community social/economic groups must be developed to reduce incidental capture in fisheries (in Mexico)
4. Bycatch reduction needs to be expanded to all fisheries of concern (in the US)
5. Conduct research and collect data on inter-nesting habitats and migratory pathways
6. Increased conservation funding
7. Educational programs must be implemented

Read more about the recovery plan here.

How to Help

Personally, I plan to donate through WWF.  Although my individual contribution will not make a significant impact, I believe that every penny helps.  If multiple people make a contribution like me, this will make a more significant impact. I encourage you to donate too! The key is to spread awareness through conservation.  I plan to spread my knowledge about the species so other people make an effort to help.


By: Marissa DiSandro

Works Cited

"Bi-National Recovery Plan for the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle." (n.d.): n. pag. US Fish & Wildlife Services. FWS. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.

"Kemp's Ridley Turtle." WWF. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

"Kemp's Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys Kempii)." NOAA Fisheries. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.