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    Kemp’s ridley sea turtle

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    Meet the smallest and rarest sea turtle in the world

    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region

    If you are looking for the world’s smallest and rarest sea turtle, you might want to meet Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. It has a round, olive-green shell and a white or yellowish belly. It also has a hooked beak and large eyes that help it find its prey.

    Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are mostly found in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast of North America, but they can also swim as far as Europe and Africa. They feed on crabs, fish, mollusks, and other marine animals. They are famous for their synchronized nesting behavior, where thousands of females come ashore at the same time and place to lay their eggs. This phenomenon is called an arribada, which means “arrival” in Spanish.

    Distribution

    Country
    Population est.
    Status
    Year
    Comments
    Atlantic Ocean
    2019
    Gulf of Mexico
    2019
    Mediterranean Sea
    2019
    Bermuda
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    Canada
    2019
    Breeding
    France
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    Ireland
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    Mexico
    2019
    Portugal
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    United Kingdom
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    United States
    2019

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    Get to know me

    Terrestrial / Aquatic

    Altricial / Precocial

    Polygamous / Monogamous

    Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic

    Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

    Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd

    Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

    Migratory: Yes / No

    Domesticated: Yes / No

    Dangerous: Yes / No

    EXEWCRENVUNTLCDDNE
    Critically endangered(IUCN)
    World Population 7,000 – 9,000
    Added by BioDB
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    Threats

    Habitat destruction / Climate change / Freshwater pollution / Marine pollution / Deforestation / Farming / Fishing practices / Poaching & wildlife trade / Invasive species / Parasites & diseases / Noise pollution / Light pollution

    My ID

    Scientific name: Lepidochelys kempii Other names:

    Atlantic ridley
    Gulf ridley
    Mexican ridley

    Physical traits

    Length: 58 – 70 cm (23 – 28 in) Weight: 36 – 45 kg (79 – 99 pounds) Lifespan: 30 years Incubation: 55 days Eggs: 110 eggs
    Habitats: Coastal Marine
    Regions: Atlantic Ocean Europe North America
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