MOLLY
Kemp's Ridley sea Turtle
Species: Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)
Age: Adult
Sex: Female
Weight: ~ 60 lbs.
Diet: Squid
Stranding Date: 7-19-06
Comments:Molly came in from Crystal River Power Plant in Citrus County missing both left flippers. The rear left flipper was already healed. The front left flipper and her neck area had wounds from a shark attack. Due to her injuries, Molly will be unable to survive in the wild and will remain at CMA. Full grown adult sea turtles have few predators in the wild, with sharks as the most successful. As hatchlings, on the other hand, many fall prey to a variety of animals. Seabirds, crabs, raccoons, and even fire ants prey on sea turtle hatchlings. This is one reason why they lay so many eggs, often one hundred or more per nest. We estimate as few as one in every ten thousand sea turtles may survive to adulthood.
