Ridley sea turtle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ridley sea turtle |
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| Researchers collect Kemp's ridley sea turtle eggs |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Family: | Cheloniidae |
| Subfamily: | Carettinae |
| Genus: | Lepidochelys Fitzinger, 1843 |
| Type species | |
| Chelonia olivacea Eschscholtz, 1829
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| Species | |
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Lepidochelys kempii |
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Ridley sea turtles are a type of sea turtle. There are two main kinds: the Kemp's ridley sea turtle and the olive ridley sea turtle. These turtles belong to a group called Lepidochelys.
Kemp's ridley sea turtles are currently in danger of disappearing. They are listed as endangered in New York and the United States.
Contents
What Do Ridley Sea Turtles Look Like?
Adult ridley sea turtles are not very big. They usually grow to be about 51 to 71 centimeters (20 to 28 inches) long. They weigh between 36 and 50 kilograms (79 to 110 pounds).
What Do Ridley Sea Turtles Eat?
These turtles enjoy a varied diet. They mostly eat small sea animals. Their favorite foods include crabs, small fish, and cephalopods like squid. They also eat clams and some types of sea plants.
Why Are They Called "Ridley" Turtles?
No one is completely sure how these turtles got the name "ridley." Before this name, a French scientist called them "bastard turtles."
A famous sea turtle expert named Archie Carr thought "ridley" was a common word used in Florida. He believed it might have come from a changed version of the word "riddle."
Protecting Ridley Sea Turtles
Both types of ridley sea turtles have faced big challenges. People are working hard to protect them.
Saving the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
In the 1960s, the Kemp's ridley sea turtle was almost gone. There were only about 200 nesting females left. This means very few mothers were laying eggs.
Thanks to strong laws, their nesting places in Mexico were protected. Also, fishing nets were changed so turtles would not get caught by accident. Because of these efforts, their numbers have grown a lot. Today, there are an estimated 7,000 to 9,000 nesting females.
Saving the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle
The olive ridley sea turtle is the most common sea turtle today. There are about 800,000 nesting females. However, they still face dangers.
Their biggest threats are:
- Losing places to lay their eggs.
- People taking their eggs or hunting adult turtles.
- Getting tangled in fishing gear.
Laws against hunting and taking eggs have helped the olive ridley sea turtles. Their numbers are slowly increasing because of these protections.
Images for kids
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A female olive ridley sea turtle after laying her eggs.
