Kemp's Ridley
Lepidochelys kempii
The
Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is the smallest sea turtle and has a
round, grayish-black to drab olive shell which lightens in color as
the turtle ages. On December
02, 1970, the Kemp's ridley sea turtle was designated as endangered. The
Kemp’s ridley only nests on Mexico and Texas’s
Gulf coast. However, hatchlings stay in the pelagic environment one
to two years and some leave the Gulf of Mexico and are distributed
along the east coast (Florida to Massachusetts) of the United States.
Small juveniles of this species {18 to 65 cm (11 to 26 in)} occur along
the South Carolina coast during the summer. In 1992, one
Kemp's ridley nest was laid in South Carolina. This species represents
the second most common turtle to strand on our coast. They feed on
fast swimming crabs (i.e. the blue crab) and are sometimes caught by
hook and line fishermen. Recent increases in Kemp’s
ridley turtle strandings could also be due to an increasing population.
For a more comprehensive review, please read the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Conservation Sheet.