Saving Crush: Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

Kayla Bailey

Found at http://animal-kid.com/kemps-ridley-sea-turtle-shell.html

Description and Ecology:

 found at https://www.pinterest.com/pin/233694668137492602/

Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles are found all along the coastal waters of Eastern North America but mostly return to the specific beach Rancho Nuevo in Tamaulipas Mexico for the arribada, a mass nesting. The eggs hatch after 45-48 days of incubation in sand nests and then the baby sea turtles crawl to the water. Once hatched, the turtles typically remain in three basic ecosystem zones: Terrestrial, Neritic, and Oceanic. In the Terrestrial zone are the sandy beaches in which the females lay around 100 eggs anytime from April to June. After hatching and making their way to the water, the baby sea turtles spend around 20-30 hours in the Neritic zone where they test the boundaries of the water and the currents. After this exploration the turtles dive into the Oceanic zone (consisting of waters deeper than 200m) where they mature and enter the strong ocean currents. They are the smallest of the sea turtles and by the time they are fully grown only weigh from 80-120 lbs and measure a length of around 2 feet. 

Most all of the Kemp’s Ridleys nest in the Gulf of Mexico
http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/kempsridley_revision2_with%20signature.pdf

Geographic and Population Changes:
Nesting was first discovered in Tamaulipas Mexico in 1947. At the time, it was estimated by the number of nests that there were 40,000 female Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles. However, a rapid decline of these animals was brought to notice in the mid 80’s where researchers believed there to be fewer than 800 nests produced by 300 females. Due to conservation efforts, populations began to rise with an expected growth rate of 19% increase each year from 2010 to 2020.

http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/kempsridley_revision2_with%20signature.pdf

Listing:
The turtles were first protected by mexico in the 1960’s and then enlisted as endangered in the US under the ESA in the 1970’s. The first binational recovery plan was written in 1984 and later revised in 1992 as well as September 22nd, 2011.

The ESA listed factors of endangerment:

1. The present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range
2. Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes;
3. Disease or predation;
4. The inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; and
5. Other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence.

Recovery Plan:

1. The strategy: Develop more programs to reduce bycatch and help recover/maintain the nesting beaches.
2. The Goal: Conserve and protect the Kemp’s Ridley so it no longer needs protection from the ESA.
3. Measurable Recovery Criteria: Must no longer be threatened by ESA listed factors of endangerment.
4.  Recovery Outline:
• Protect and manage nesting habitats
• Protect and manage marine habitats
• Protect and manage populations on the nesting beaches
• Protect and manage populations in the marine environment
• Maintain a stranding network
• Manage captive stocks
• Educate the public
• Develop community partnerships
• Maintain and develop local, state, and national government partnerships
• Maintain, promote awareness of, and expand U.S. and Mexican Laws
• Implement international agreements
• Enforce Laws

WATCH THIS CUTE VIDEO OF THE BABY KEMP'S RIDLEYS

More information can be found at:

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Bionational Recovery Plan:

http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/kempsridley_revision2_with%20signature.pdf

Easy to Understand Guide to Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/education/kids_times_turtle_kempsridley.pdf