Description of the Leatherback Sea Turtle

Sea turtles are fascinating relics of the prehistoric age. The leatherback turtle is the largest sea turtle still alive today. Weighing over 2,000 pounds, these seafaring turtles are graceful and powerful swimmers. They traverse the world's oceans as they have done for millions of years, although, as of 2010, they remain an endangered species.

  1. Taxonomy

    • Leatherback turtles trace their evolutionary roots back more than 100 million years. They are reptiles in the Dermochelyidae family. Leatherback turtles are the only living species remaining in the Dermochelyidae family; all other species within this family have become extinct.

    Size and Physiology

    • Leatherback sea turtles are the largest living species of turtles, and are the fourth largest reptile. On average, they grow to about seven feet long and can weigh more than 2,000 pounds. The leatherback turtle is the only sea turtle that does not have a hard shell. Instead, the leatherback's shell is flexible and rubbery. The ridges on the shell make these turtles efficient swimmers and help them dive to depths of over 4,000 feet.

    Reproduction

    • Many hatchlings do not make it to the water.

      During the nesting seasons, leatherback females will build several nests on sandy beaches, usually at one to week intervals. In each nest, they will lay 80-100 eggs. The eggs take approximately two months to develop into hatchlings. When the hatchlings emerge from the sand, they are only 2 or 3 inches long and weigh less than 2 pounds. Unfortunately, few of these hatchlings survive into adulthood. Many die along the shores before evening reaching the water, falling victim to birds of prey.

    Migration

    • Leatherback turtles have the widest migration routes of any sea reptile. Males spend all of their lives in water, and females only come ashore to nest. They are found throughout the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea. Leatherback turtles often travel nearly 3,700 miles each way on their regular migration routes. According to the NOAA Office of Protected Resources, female leatherbacks tagged in French Guiana have been found as far north as Newfoundland.

    Protection

    • Leatherback turtles are an endangered species. The American Museum of Natural History estimates that the global population of leatherback turtles is only 100,000. The turtles face several threats, from the birds that eat the hatchlings on their way to the ocean to the commercial fishing nets that trap and drown adult turtles. One of the biggest risk to the turtles is the plastic that pollutes the oceans. Leatherbacks primarily eat jellyfish, and often mistake floating plastic in the water for jellyfish. Finally, in some parts of the Asia, leatherback turtles are still hunted for food and other body parts.