THE BAY TURTLE
MORE THAN ANY OTHER SEA TURTLE, THE YOUNG KEMP'S RIDLEY IS A CREATURE OF BAYS AND SALT MARSHES. IT LIVES WHERE MARSH GRASS MEETS OPEN WATER.


WHILE FEW CREATURES FEED DIRECTLY ON LIVE MARSH GRASS, TINY BROKEN PIECES OF THESE PLANTS, CALLED DETRITUS, ARE AT THE BASE OF MANY IMPORTANT BAY AND NEARSHORE FOOD WEBS.

 

SOME OF THE LARGEST SALT MARSHES IN THE WORLD OCCUR BETWEEN PANACEA AND TAMPA. THEY ARE A CRITICAL HABITAT FOR THE LONG TERM SURVIVAL OF THE KEMP'S RIDLEY.


KEMP'S RIDLEYS, LARGE FISH AND HUMANS EAT CRABS.

A KEMP'S RIDLEY ATTACKS AND SEIZES A BLUE CRAB, WHICH NEEDS SALT MARSHES TO SURVIVE.

  
MARSH GRASS PARTICLES, CALLED DETRITUS, ARE FOOD FOR FIDDLER CRABS, WORMS, SNAILS AND SMALL FISH THAT IN TURN ARE EATEN BY LARGER CRABS.
 

DESTROYING SALT MARSHES ELIMINATES THIS ENTIRE INTERCONNECTED FOOD WEB.

   EGRETS, HERONS AND WOODSTORKS ALSO DEPEND ON THIS FOOD WEB, EATING SMALL FISH THAT FEED ON DETRITUS IN MARSH CREEKS.
  AS THE MARSH DISAPPEARS, THE BIRDS, FISH AND TURTLES FADE AWAY.