Migration and diving behavior of Kemp's ridley (Garman) sea turtles along the U.S. southeastern Atlantic coast

Abstract

Three Kemp's ridley ( Lepidochelys kempii, Garman) sea turtles were tracked with satellite and radio/sonic telemetry from release points along the Georgia coast beginning in October 1991. The movement demonstrated by these turtles was consistent with seasonal, coastal migration. Radio-tagged juveniles travelled south from Georgia to Florida a distance of 120 and 202 km during 41 and 29 days of monitoring, respectively. Submergence duration was significantly longer at night than during the day for one of two juvenile turtles. A nesting-sized Kemp's ridley tracked via satellite telemetry from October 1991 to July 1992 made longer dives than the radio tagged juveniles, but the percent submergence time was very similar, 94% and 95%, respectively. Seasonal and day–night differences in average submergence duration were significant for the satellite tracked turtle, and longer dives occurred at night throughout all seasons. In spring, average submergence duration was shorter. From mid-November to mid-March the primary overwintering grounds of the nesting-sized ridley sea turtle were within approximately 40 km of the Atlantic coast between Cape Canaveral and Stuart, Florida. During late spring and early summer, coastal South Carolina was the preferred habitat of this individual.