Role of a Leatherback Turtle in the Ecosystem

Every organism on Earth has an important role to play in the ecosystem. The leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is one of the largest living reptiles on Earth, with some individuals reaching over 6 feet in length. The only turtle that lacks a bony shell, leatherbacks instead have a thick "leathery" layer of connective tissue that is stretched over loosely interlocking dermal bones.

  1. Natural History

    • Leatherbacks evolved during the Cretaceous period, over 110 million years ago. They have a number of strategies for surviving in their pelagic environment (the open ocean). Leatherbacks have a metabolic rate that is four times higher than other reptiles of similar size, meaning they can maintain a core body heat that allows them to live in colder environments. In addition, the leatherback's oily flesh and counter-current heat regulators enable it to maintain a significantly higher internal body temperature than the surrounding water.

    Distribution

    • The leatherback is found all over the world, with a range reaching Alaska and Norway in the north and the southernmost tip of New Zealand in the south. It has the widest distribution of any sea turtle species. There are three sub-populations of leatherbacks, the Atlantic sub-population, the Pacific sub-population and the Indian Ocean sub-population. Individuals from each sub-population travel widely within their distribution zone.

    Diet

    • Leartherbacks have specially adapted mouths for eating soft prey like squid, jellyfish and tunicates. Their mouths are beak-shaped with pointed tooth-like cusps and sharp-edged jaws. In addition, leatherbacks have backward-pointing spines inside their mouth and throat to keep their gelatinous prey inside their mouths.

    Reproduction

    • Like all turtles, leatherbacks reproduce by laying eggs. Each year females lumber ashore on a sandy beach to lay clutches of approximately 100 eggs. Typically, females return to lay several clutches of eggs during a nesting period at 8- to 12-day intervals. Baby leatherbacks hatch about 2 months later. They come out ready to swim, with front flippers nearly as long as their bodies, which are typically 2 to 3 inches in length.

    Status

    • Once one of the most populous species of sea turtles in the world's oceans, today leatherbacks are critically endangered. Threats to their existence include habitat degradation, over-hunting, and the native practice in some regions of collecting turtle eggs as food. Though leatherbacks are not normally caught as food, they are often trapped in trawl nets by large fishing fleets. In the U.S., leatherback nesting beaches are protected under the Endangered Species Act.