Sea turtles are always fun to watch. But have you thought about why the species is endangered in the IUCN red list? Well, one of the reasons is that their habitat is at great risk.
But this smallest Kemp’s ridley sea turtle habitat is where? Around 7,000-9,000 individuals’ habitat is in the Gulf of Mexico and many other places around the world.
In this article, you will find everything about their life in the wild, how they choose their habitat and so on. Let’s not talk around the bushes. Dive deeper to know further about them.
In The Wild, Where Is the Habitat of The Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle? (Reference 1) (Reference 2)
While the majority of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles call the Gulf of Mexico home, from Florida to New England, a small number do migrate to the Atlantic Ocean. All of their precise whereabouts are detailed below.
Around 95% of Kemp’s ridleys choose their habitat for nesting beaches in the western Gulf of Mexico, primarily in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.
Normally, their nesting beaches are Rancho Nuevo, Tepehuajes, or Barra del Tordo. And sometimes, their habitat is also noticed for nesting in Veracruz, Mexico, and Texas areas.
For the most part, adults can be seen feeding in the neritic zones, which are the coastal waters close to land in the Gulf of Mexico. The sandy or muddy bottoms make it simple for them to catch crabs and other crustaceans for their diet.
After hatching, Kemp’s ridley sea turtles spend two to ten years out in the open water, in a region known as the Sargasso Sea. Young kemp’s ridley turtles find food and shelter in the abundant seaweed in this region.
And, when there is an age between seven and fifteen to continue maturing into adults, Kemp’s ridley sea turtles return to the shallower shore waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
Curious to know more about Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle? Read this article
What Is “Arribada” In Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle’s Nesting Behavior?
When many female Kemp’s ridley sea turtles lay their eggs at once, it’s called an Arribas. From the Spanish word “arribada,” meaning “arrival,” it draws its origin.
When these groups occur, hundreds of thousands of females will converge on the shore to lay their eggs simultaneously. Their nesting occurs between May and July.
In that time, they lay three clutches of 100 eggs which incubate within 50-60 days.
Moreover, the females of the Kemp’s ridley turtle will occupy an entire beach during an arribada. And will use their fins to burrow their massive bodies into the sand in search of an ideal location to deposit their eggs.
Later on, due to their fear of predators, hatchlings travel at night and emerge from their shells with the help of their caruncle. A single temporary tooth is developed specifically for this purpose.
Due to the manner of these turtle nests, there are risks to the Kemp’s ridley turtle population. As they venture out into the ocean for the first time, these little hatchlings are vulnerable to predation.
As a result of Mexico’s 1966 protection of nesting beaches, there have been slight increases in arribada size. However, stealing eggs from this species has been an issue in the past.
How Does a Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Adapt to Its Environment?
At various points in their life, Kemp’s ridley sea turtles undergo a variety of changes that improve their ability to thrive in their natural habitat. Some are discussed below –
- Adaptation to swimming: Kemp’s Ridley Sea turtles have flattened shells and modified limbs that let them swim freely in open water.
- Specialized saltwater glands: These turtles possessed specialized saltwater glands. They are able to expel excess salt from the seawater through specialized glands located close to their eyes.
- Temperature-dependent sex determination: The temperature of the nest throughout incubation affects the sex of the hatchling. This adaptation maintains a balanced population of males and females.
- Vulnerability to climate change: Despite temperature-dependent sex determination, Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which can disrupt sex ratios.
- Feeding habits: Hatchlings spend their formative years swimming freely in wide waters, particularly the Sargasso Sea. There, they have abundance of Sargassum seaweed. And because of the availability, the hatchlings get proper nourishment by consuming it.
- Escape from predators: The distinctive brown hue of Sargassum seaweed protects hatchlings from predators.
- Adaptation through arribadas: Arribadas mentioned above have been another trump card to adapt to the environment by delivering their hatchlings in a safe and sound atmosphere.
How Do Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles Decide Where to Live?
If I need to talk about how they decide where to live, then three common things that are noticed need to be discussed. Those are food availability, the temperature of the water and the tendency to return to the nesting site.
After reaching the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico, adults primarily hunt for crustaceans and crabs on the ocean floor for sustenance. So, they likely dine in places where there is an abundance of food.
Moreover, they avoid cold water and prefer hot water. As this alters their distribution and moving, they consider these things while choosing where to live.
And then, it is not uncommon for the mother to return to the beach to lay her eggs. These routines were likely established or picked up during their formative years.
What Challenges and Threats Do Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles Face in Habitat?
The life of Kemp’s ridley marine turtle is filled with threats and difficulties. Let’s have a look at the most crucial ones below.
Habitat degradation and loss: Construction on the beach and other forms of coastal development poses a threat to Kemp’s Ridley’s nesting beaches.
Artificial lights: Lights placed artificially on beaches have the potential to frighten away nesting mothers and their hatchlings.
Beach driving: Even when people do beach driving, it poses a threat to nests, as well as to mother birds and their hatchlings.
Pollution: Unfortunately, the location where their food sources are, they are at risk too. Because coastal waterways no longer provide nutritious food options due to pollution from agricultural runoff and industrial waste.
Fishing line bycatch: Sea turtles of all ages get entangled in various forms of fishing gear, including shrimp trawls, gill nets, longlines, and more, due to accidental entanglement.
Sea level rise: Climate change-induced sea level rise threatens nesting sites and also alters ocean currents that assist hatchlings navigate and locate their food sources.
Marine debris: Trash in marine areas is another threat to their habitat. When the waters are filled with so much trash like plastic bags, and balloons, it hampers their swimming. Often, they get entangled in that and it is life threatening for them.
Population struggles: Kemp’s ridley population is already struggling to recover from these issues, and they’re only going to become worse.
What Are A Few Conservation Efforts to Address These Issues?
Multiple conservation organizations are actively addressing the threats that Kemp’s ridley sea turtles confront. A few key instances are these:
Conservation Groups in Mexico and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service patrol beaches in search of nesting beaches and to protect their nests. Methods such as relocating their nests to less dangerous areas are also done by them.
Moreover, efforts are being made to repair the breeding beaches that have been harmed and to prevent humans from approaching them in any way. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to eliminate certain types of structures, reduce the amount of light pollution, and prohibit driving on certain sections of the beach.
Accordingly, as per new regulations, it is asked to use shrimp trawl nets which are included with Turtle Electronic Excluder Devices (TEDs). This device allows sea turtles and other larger species to escape the nets but holds the shrimps.
Additionally, current efforts are designed for effective fishing gear with a lower bycatch rate. It is necessary to investigate other fishing techniques or make adjustments to the gear.
Through these initiatives, one of the things that we can do is lessen the usage of plastic. Sea turtles face a significant threat from plastic contamination in the oceans. So, campaigns advocating appropriate waste disposal aim to reduce this problem.
The recovery of Kemp’s ridley sea turtle population depends on these measures as well as continuous research and monitoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
To sum up, let’s examine several significant inquiries made by readers such as you.
01. Does female Kemp’s ridley turtle nest at night?
No. Unlike other sea turtles, female Kemp’s ridley turtles inhabit nest in the daylight.
02. Do kemp’s ridley sea turtles reuse their habitat nests?
Yes. The mother sea turtle returns to her nest on land to deposit her eggs on the beach. They are expert navigators and often return to the same beaches from whence they emerged, even after decades have passed.
Conclusion
Now, when you’re done grasping every detail about Kemp’s ridley sea turtle habitat. It’s time to be a conscious citizen and follow the protocols to protect them from becoming extinct.
Not dumping plastics, and polythene, not disturbing their nests, and not trying to touch or feed them can be your way to save them. Lastly, try to abide by the regulations mentioned above.