The kemp's ridley (L. kempii) is the smallest and most endangered of the sea turtle species. It was classified as "Endangered" by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1970 and began receiving protection from Mexico in the 1960s. Less than 50 years ago, the Kemp's ridley was very abundant, today it is nearly a ghost. This week long unit was created to inspire secondary students to recognize the plight of the turtle and the human actions that are contributing its demise. The activities that follow are inquiry-based interactive lessons that challenge students to evaluate the causes of the Kemp's ridley's endangerment, the ecological impact of the loss, and the restoration efforts underway to bring it back from the brink. |
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| Day 1: Turtle Hurdles | ||
Objectives: (1) Students will describe the life cycle of sea turtles. (2) Students will identify specific mortality factors that drove the Kemp's ridley to near extinction. (3) Students will make inferences about the effects of limiting factors on sea turtle populations (4) Students will make recommendations to minimize the factors that might lead to the extinction of sea turtles. |
This activity allows students to step into the life cycle of a Kemp 's ridley sea turtle. An area is set up outside to simulate the sea turtle's habitat. Since only 1 in 10,000 sea turtle hatchlings survives to reproductive age, the artificial habitat is complete with a myriad of obstacles including natural predators as well as limiting factors from human activities The goal of the activity is to survive for 10 years so that you can return to the beach to lay your eggs. After the first round of the activity, the ratios of predators and hazards can be changed to give students the opportunity to evaluate the impact of human activity on the number of surviving turtle hatchlings. The links below provide additional information. | |
| Day 2: Ecological Role | ||
(1) Students will identify the conditions of a habitat that are essential for Kemp's ridley turtles to survive. (2) Students will use their knowledge of habitat to create a model an idea habitat for the Kemp's ridley turtle where the turtle fills its ecological role. |
This activity allows for students to utilize first hand sources to acquire knowledge of the habitat and ecological role of Kemp's ridley sea turtles. Students begin by receiving copies of a journal article and newsletter providing information concerning the role and diet of Kemp's ridleys. This information will provide a foundation on which to create a model habitat for either an adult or juvenile Kemp's ridley. Additional research is required, and students must present the ideal habitat to the class and provide rationale behind the choices they made in their design. | |
| Day 3-4: Risk and Recovery | ||
Objectives: (1) Students will evaluate the ecological data to suggest Kemp's Ridleys are in real danger of becoming extinct.(2) Students will analyze the threats that have led the Kemp's ridleys to the verge of extinction.(3) Students will make inferences about success of the recovery plan set forth in 1992. (4) Students will evaluate a specific area of the recovery plan, and determine its level of implementation and success. |
In a whole class setting, students will view a presentation describing the efforts for recovery as well as the risks faced by Kemp's ridley turtles. The presentation also addresses the ways in which Kemp's ridley populations are assessed, and the incredible decline in their population over the past 50 years. Along with the presentation, actual footage from the 1947 video of the arribadas on the beaches of Rancho Nuevo is also linked below. It is this footage that has provided conservation scientists with a baseline for the Kemp's ridley population. Additional video footage of a TED (turtle excluder device) is also linked. After the presentations and class discussion, students will complete an assignment where they evaluate portions of the 1992 recovery plan. . |
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| Day 5: Sea Turtles International | ||
Objectives: (1) Students will analyze the policies and philosophies that countries have relating to wildlife ownership and protection and to habitat management.(2) Students will explain the importance of international agreements and organizations that manage species that cross national boundaries. (3) Students will define the difference between ownership of land and ownership of wildlife (4) Students will use the information they have obtained to create their own long-term strategy for restoring the Kemp's ridleys. |
This activity allows students to portray the political interactions of citizens from different countries with varying needs and perspectives on conservation. Each student has specific "haves" and "wants" that require cooperation from other citizens. Students have to coordinate their efforts to achieve their goals. Students begin to realize the economic pressures placed on individuals and nations whose livelihood is partially based on the exploitation of habitat and endangered species such as the Kemp's ridley. In addition, students will also see how their role as a consumer and a tourist drives the cycle of habitat destruction. Students also take on the roles of judges, activists, and enforcement officers and discover the difficulty in regulating illegal trades. The countries depicted in the scenarios are fictional but each represent the types of economic standing of many of the countries involved in illegal turtle trade. | |
Jocelyn Miller
Teacher Innovation Project
LFSC 660
The University of Maryland