Kemp's ridley sea turtle forage location centroids in the northern Gulf of Mexico, 2010, 2011 and 2012

Following an explosion at the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig on April 20, 2010, MC252 an estimated 3.19 million barrels of oil leaked into the Northern Gulf of Mexico over 87 days. The endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii [Lk]) has a long established record of using the area near the well as primary foraging grounds. Resulting short- and long-term negative impacts of the oil spill on sea turtles could induce changes in the health and fitness of the Lk population. MC252 oil is known to have entered the foraging areas. Consequently, stable carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures from MC252 oil should be reflected in the food web and in the tissues of organisms such as sea turtles. We measured carbon and nitrogen isosope [...]