Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
Lepidochelys kempii

Threats to survival:

Loss of habitat due to coastal development, including tourism and idustrialisation	Accidental capture by fishing activities (e.g. trawling)	Pollution due to industrial waste, marine debris, tar etc.	Human predation due to meat consumption	Animal predation

• Fully protected since 1966 when included in the Red Data book and considered endangered in Appendix I of CITES
• In spite of the increasing numbers of hatchlings being released, the species in still in decline.
• In the 1940s, 40,000 nested per day, in 1989 less than 700 per season.
• Large numbers are still caught accidently by fishermen, particularly in shrimp nets.