Kemp's Ridley

Group: Reptile

Order: Lepidochelys kempii

Length: adult 2-2.5 ft.

Weight: 80-110 pounds

Food: it feeds upon crabs, fish, jellyfish, squid, clams, starfish, and some marine vegetarian.

Where it lives: A stretch of beach near Ranchos Nuevos, Tamaulipas, Mexico, serves as the sole nesting ground.

Number of young: female lays 50-200 eggs at a time

Lifespan: more than 20 years

Other facts: smallest of the sea turtles. Heart shaped shell that is light olive green to gray to black. The males have longer tales than the females. They are found on Long Island between June - January. They are an endangered species. One of the reasons that the numbers of this turtle is dropping is that the nesting area is being invaded by humans for fishing. This turtle eats trash like cellophane, styrofoam, and may become tangled in ropes, garbage, and plastic holders for soft drinks. He can digest most of this garbage unlike most turtles.