Modelling drift of cold-stunned Kemp's ridley turtles stranding on the Dutch coast [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]

Background Every few years, juvenile Kemp’s ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) are stranded on the Dutch coasts. The main population distribution of this critically endangered species primarily inhabits the Gulf of Mexico and the east coast of the United States. This study focuses on five reports from the Netherlands between 2007 and 2022, where juvenile turtles were reported to strand alive during the winter, albeit in a hypothermic state. At ambient ocean temperatures between 10°C and 13°C, Kemp’s ridley turtles begin to show an inability to actively swim and remain afloat on the ocean’s s... Mehr ...