The smallest sea turtle and the only one that nests mainly in daylight. Adults are roughly two feet long and weigh 70 to 100 pounds, with a nearly round, gray-green upper shell and a pale underside . The head is triangular with a slightly hooked beak. Adults eat mostly crabs, with shrimp, snails, clams, jellyfish, and fish making up the rest; hatchlings drift in floating Sargassum mats before settling into coastal waters . Females mature at about 10 to 15 years, lay clutches of around 100 eggs, and may lay two or three clutches in a season; incubation runs 50 to 60 days . The Kemp's ridley is Texas's official state sea turtle, designated by the 83rd Legislature in 2013 . Its relationship to South Padre Island is the subject of the next section.
Observe responsibly
Wildlife, tides and access conditions change. Keep a respectful distance, do not feed wildlife, stay out of dunes and marked nesting areas, and use current official rules before fishing or handling any catch.