Kemp’s Ridley

Lepidocheyls kempii

The endangered Kemp’s Ridley turtle is one of the smallest sea turtles, with full-grown adults reaching about 2 feet in length and weighing around 100 pounds. The carapace is usually olive gray in coloration. This turtle has a triangular-shaped head with a hooked beak, which allows for the diet of mostly crabs.

Some females nest an average of 1 to 4 times a season, which occurs from April to June. The range of this turtle includes the Gulf coasts of Mexico and the United States, and the Atlantic coast of North America. The Kemp’s Ridley is the most seriously endangered of all the sea turtles.