There are five pairs of costal shields, as on loggerhead turtles. Hawksbill turtles tend to be restricted to the tropics, nesting in Florida, Mexico, the West Indies and the Caribbean coast and islands of Central and South America. Nesting is scattered throughout their range. Kemp's ridley turtles are found mainly in the Gulf of Mexico, but may range through coastal waters along the eastern seaboard as far north as Nova Scotia. The Kemp's ridley is carnivorous mainly animal eaters, favoring crustaceans, jellyfish and mollusks and feeds on swimming crabs and other crustaceans, clams, mussels, fish and jellyfish.
Blue crabs are the preferred food in many areas.
Kemp's Ridley Turtle Estimates of age at maturity range from 7 to 15 years. In captivity a few females have become sexually mature at 5 years of age. Range and Habitat Kemp's ridley turtles are found mainly in the Gulf of Mexico, but may range through coastal waters along the eastern seaboard as far north as Nova Scotia. Adult Kemp's ridleys, are found in the Gulf of Mexico foraging in productive coastal and estuarine waters, particularly along the Louisiana coast near the mouth of the Mississippi River and the Campeche, Mexico region. Juvenile and subadult Kemp's ridleys are widely distributed throughout the coastal waters of the U.S. from Texas to Maine.