Kemp's ridley sea turtle

Kemp's ridleys nest mainly on beaches in northeastern Mexico and south Texas, where females come ashore together in daytime groups called arribadas. The young spread along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts to feed on crabs in shallow water.

Their numbers fell to a few hundred nesting females in the 1980s, and years of work on nesting beaches and fishing gear have brought them back part of the way. They are a measure of how coastal fisheries and conservation can live together.

Nest — On beaches in Mexico and Texas, often in daytime groups
Eggs — About 100 per nest
Incubation — About 45 to 58 days
Hatchlings — Grey-black, heading out to sea
Maturity — At about 10 to 15 years
Lifespan — Several decades

• Anglers on piers sometimes hook ridleys. Cut the line close to the mouth and call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, who can arrange treatment at a sea turtle hospital.
• Cold-stunned or stranded turtles need a licensed wildlife rehabilitator at once.
• Sea turtles are protected under federal law in the United States.

• Sea turtles only nest at night. Kemp's ridleys often nest in daylight.

• Loggerhead sea turtle
• Green sea turtle
• Leatherback sea turtle