FWS Focus

Overview

The Kemp's ridley turtle is the smallest of the sea turtles, with adults reaching about 2 feet in length and weighing up to 100 pounds. The adult Kemp's ridley has an oval carapace that is almost as wide as it is long and is usually olive-gray in color. The carapace has five pairs of costal scutes. In each bridge adjoining the plastron to the carapace, there are four inframarginal scutes, each of which is perforated by a pore. The head has two pairs of prefrontal scales. Hatchlings are black on both sides. The Kemp's ridley has a triangular-shaped head with a somewhat hooked beak with large crushing surfaces. This turtle is a shallow water benthic feeder with a diet consisting primarily of crabs.

Scientific Name

Lepidochelys kempii
Common Name
Kemp's ridley sea turtle
Kemp's ridley
Atlantic ridley
Atlantic ridley sea turtle
FWS Category
Reptiles
Kingdom

Location in Taxonomic Tree

Identification Numbers

TSN:

Geography

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Timeline

Explore the information available for this taxon's timeline. You can select an event on the timeline to view more information, or cycle through the content available in the carousel below.

12 Items

Listing

Listing

Critical Habitat

Critical Habitat

4d

Critical Habitat

Regulation

Permit

Five Year Review

Recovery Plan

Five Year Review

Five Year Review

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Listing

Jul 30, 1970

Jul 30, 1970 Listing (Endangered)
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Conservation of Endangered Species and Other Fish or Wildlife); 35 FR…
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 1

Listing

Dec 2, 1970

Dec 2, 1970 Listing (Endangered)
List of Endangered Foreign Fish and Wildlife; 35 FR 18319 18322
  • Publication type: Final
Item 2

Critical Habitat

Oct 4, 1978

Oct 4, 1978 Critical Habitat
Proposed Determination of Critical Habitat for Kemp's Ridley and Loggerhead Sea Turtles
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 3

Critical Habitat

Nov 29, 1978

Nov 29, 1978 Critical Habitat
Proposed Determination of Critical Habitat for the for Kemp's Ridley and Loggerhead Sea Turtles
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 4

4d

Jun 29, 1987

Jun 29, 1987 4d
NOAA--Sea Turtle Conservation; Shrimp Trawling Requirements; 52 FR 24244- 24262
  • Publication type: Final
Item 5

Critical Habitat

Mar 22, 1991

Mar 22, 1991 Critical Habitat (Not Substantial information for revision)
ETWP; Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Critical Habitat Designation Petition; 56 FR 12185 12186
  • Publication type: 90 day petition finding
Item 6

Regulation

Mar 23, 1999

Mar 23, 1999 Regulation
(NOAA/NMFS) Endangered and Threatened Species; Regulations Consolidation; Final Rule
  • Publication type: Final
Item 7

Permit

Oct 25, 2001

Oct 25, 2001 Permit
Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Habitat Conservation Plan and Notice of Receipt of A…
  • Publication type: Application Received
Item 8

Five Year Review

Apr 21, 2005

Apr 21, 2005 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Initiation of a 5–Year Review of Listed Sea Turtles
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 9

Recovery Plan

Mar 16, 2010

Mar 16, 2010 Recovery Plan (Document Availability (non-FR))
Notice of availability of Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
  • Publication type: Draft
Item 10

Five Year Review

Oct 10, 2012

Oct 10, 2012 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Initiation of 5-Year Review for Kemp’s Ridley, Olive Ridley, Leatherback, and Hawksbill Sea Turtles
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 11

Five Year Review

Jun 29, 2021

Jun 29, 2021 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Endangered and Threatened Species; Notice of Initiation of a 5-Year Review of the Kemp’s Ridley Sea…
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 12