Lepidochelys+olivacea

Pacific Ridley

 * Genus **: Lepidochelys
 * Species**: olivacea
 * Class:** Reptilia
 * Order:** Testudines
 * Family:** Cheloniidae

Year Assesed:** 2008 Habitat**: The pacific ridley has a complex life cycle, mating and breeding in different places. Females will go to the coast to lay eggs but males mostly stay in the ocean.
 * __Endangerment__
 * Reason For Endangerment**: Although widely scattered among different regions, pacific ridley populations are declining.
 * Population Number:** Unknown but 50% of all breeders survive
 * __Habitat__
 * Where Animal Lives**: Throughout tropical waters, (marine animal) The Pacific Ridley is found well out to sea and in protected, relatively shallow bays and lagoons and the shallow water between reefs and the shoreline.

Color**: grey or olive-grey with brown shell,
 * __Appearance__
 * Size**: Up to 1.5 meters
 * Physical Characteristics**: have large head; shell in shape of heart, weighs about 100 lbs.


 * __Physical Habitat Features__**


 * Temperature**: 2-28.5
 * Salinity**: 33-36
 * Location**: Pacific Ridleys can be found in the Pacific and Indian Ocean and exact location depends on el nino/la nina years.
 * Migration**: Pacific Ridley goes from different coastlines

What it eats**: The pacific ridley eats both plants and animals including sea grass, crabs, fish, shrimps, other plants and invertabrates.
 * __Feeding Habits__

Mating**: Pacific Ridleys nest together in synchronized mass nesting called "arribadas" which may consist of thousands of females nesting at the same time. From 20,000 to 200,000 females may visit a nesting beach in one season. Tropical beaches and barrier islands, often near river mouths, are where the Pacific Ridleys prefer to nest.
 * __Reproduction__

__**Anatomy of Animal**__ - weight of 100 lbs - high doomed shell -carapace 30 inches - carapace made up of 5 pairs of coastal scutes -carapace is dark olive green -yellow underbelly -big head -skin color is grey -smallest and most numerous sea turtle in world - head in shape of triangle

- not to be eaten since endangered but unfortunately stuck in trawler nets - eggs and turtle flesh are eaten by humans and the hide from turtle is used for leather - studied considerably given much is unknown about migration patterns and where they go when out to sea - jail people who catch and kill or eat pacific ridleys - make more land available for turtles to nest
 * __Importance of Species__**
 * Reason for endangerment**- bycatch in fisheries, can't reproduce fast enough, global warming endangers sea turtle, can't nest on developed beaches
 * Conservation Effort**: Laws have been created which prohibit illegal sea turtle catching
 * Freds Solutions to the Endangerment Problem**: - farm some turtles to revive population

[] [] [] []
 * __Sources__**

1. List 3 facts about the Pacific Ridleys?
 * Scavenger Hunt

2. What are some colors associated with the Pacific Ridley?

3. What are some other solution (other than mine) to protect and save the Pacific Ridley population?**