The first occurrence of Kemp’s Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) in Raja Ampat, Indonesia

FERLIANA WIDAYSARI (Badan Riset Sumberdaya Manusia Kelautan dan Perikanan, Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan. Gedung Mina Bahari 3 Lt. 6-7, Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur No.16, Central Jakarta 10110, Indonesia)
AJI NUGROHO (BKKPN Kupang, Ditjen PRL, Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan. Jl. Yos Sudarso Jurusan Bolok, Kupang 85231, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia)
GULAM ARAFAT (Loka Pengelolaan Sumberdaya Pesisir dan Laut Sorong, Ditjen PRL, Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan. Jl. KPR PDAM No.Km 10, Sorong 98416, West Papua, Indonesia)
RAHMADI SUNOKO (Badan Riset Sumberdaya Manusia Kelautan dan Perikanan, Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan. Gedung Mina Bahari 3 Lt. 6-7, Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur No.16, Central Jakarta 10110, Indonesia)
RUDI ALEX WAHYUDIN (Badan Riset Sumberdaya Manusia Kelautan dan Perikanan, Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan. Gedung Mina Bahari 3 Lt. 6-7, Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur No.16, Central Jakarta 10110, Indonesia)
MOHAMMAD SAYUTI (Politeknik Ahli Usaha Perikanan. Jl. AUP No. 1 Pasar Minggu, 12520 South Jakarta, Indonesia)
ELISA BAKKULA (PSDKP Satker Raja Ampat, Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan. Jl. Pemuda No. 7, Raja Ampat 98471, West Papua, Indonesia)
FERDIEL BALLAMU (Yayasan Penyu Papua. Jl. Pulau Soop, Sorong 98414, West Papua, Indonesia)

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity
Vol. 24 No. 9 (2023)

Abstract. Widaysari F, Nugroho A, Arafat G, Sunoko R, Wahyudin RA, Sayuti M, Bakkula E, Ballamu F. 2023. The first occurrence of Kemp’s Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) in Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 24: 4934-4942. Territory Indonesian waters are one of the waters in Southeast Asia that have been a turtle habitat; six of the seven types of turtles live in these waters, and Kemp ridley's turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) is the seventh reported to have recently emerged. The research objectives of the study were to identify the area location emergence of Kemp’s Ridley turtle, determine morphology, and release Kemp’s Ridley turtle. Location identification was based on the Raja Ampat District Central Statistics Agency data. Visual identification of turtles proceeds by looking at their morphology, namely carapace shape, number of vertebral and costal scutes, the form of the plastron, number of inframarginal scutes, and appearance of head shape juxtaposed on External Morphology. The water area where Kemp’s Ridley turtle was found had a constant temperature, moderate wind speed, high humidity, and rainfall. The results of identifying the turtle morphology matched Kemp’s Ridley turtle. After outreach to the community, Kemp’s Ridley turtles were released into nature. The first appearance of the Kemp’s Ridley turtle in Indonesia is undoubtedly an exciting study material for further study regarding the migration map, distribution, and other factors that cause changes in its migration.