Image from[www.fisheries.noaa.gov]
Kemp's ridley sea turtles are named after Richard M. Kemp, the fisherman who first described this species in Florida. Kemp's ridley sea turtles are also called Atlantic sea turtles, bastard turtles, and heartbreak turtles. They listed it as critically endangered. They can reach a maximum size of 27-32 inches and weigh up to 75-100 pounds. These species have a triangular-shaped head with a slightly hooked beak, adapted flipper like front limbs. They mostly feed on mollusks, crustaceans, jellyfish, small fish, algae, and seaweed. They are usually found in nearshore and inshore waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico, and shallow seagrass areas. Kemp's ridley sea turtles reach sexual maturity at 58-70 cm and ages 10-12. Their predators are sharks, other sea animals, and humans. Their normal nesting season is from April to August. During the nesting season, females dig a pit in the sand and lay around 100 eggs. Females nest one to four times during a season. Their hatchlings are darkly colored on both sides. Adults have grayish-green shells. Kemp's ridley sea turtles are the smallest and rarest species.
| Common Name | Kemp's ridley sea turtles |
| Scientific Name | Lepidochelys kempii |
| Lifespan | - |
| Length | 27-32 inches |
| Mass | 75-100 pounds |
| Diet | - |
Scientific classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Testudines |
| Family | Cheloniidae |
| Genus | Lepidochelys |
| Species | L. kempii |
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