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Fishin' for Facts: Leatherback Sea Turtle
a Hagfish Day Star!

If you think the Leatherback Sea Turtle is awesome, vote for it in our Ugly-Beauty contest!

Scientific name: Dermochelys coriacea

Size

Shell (carapace) 6 to 7 ft long! Max.

Max Weight: 1,500 to 2,000 lb (680-900 kg)

Where are they found?

All over the world, except the Antarctica. Yes, this remarkable reptile is even found on the edges of the Arctic!

What do they eat?

These giants fill their bellies with jellies! Lots and lots of jellies. A leatherback can eat its weight in jellies.

What eats them?

The younger/smaller the turtle, the more predators it has. Seabirds and coastal critters eat eggs and hatchlings. Fish, crabs, octopus, large fish...eat smaller turtles. Killer whales and sharks prey on leatherbacks.

Lifespan

Unknown

Highlights

Leatherback sea turtles dive deep, swim fast, and travel amazingly far!. Leatherback sea turtles dive xx feet down hunting for jellies.

These deep-sea divers have been recorded at depths of 4,200 ft (1,280 m). That's down in elephant seal, sperm whale and beak whale territory! Like all turtles, leatherbacks breathe air. While on a super-deep dive, they can hold their breath 85 minutes.

Leatherbacks, like most sea turtles, travel thousands of miles after leaving the nest as a hatchling and also between nesting periods. Some leatherbacks migrate 13,000.

Other fantastic things about leatherbacks...

Like other sea turtles, once hatchlings enter the water, they disappear for years. They don't "reappear" until they're large and in charge. Biologists call these the "lost years."

Threats:

Critically Endangered (IUCN)

Leatherback populations, like all sea turtles, are threatened by egg harvesting, habitat destruction on nesting beaches, boat traffic, pollution, and incidental catches (being caught in nets or other fishing gear) The eggs and turtles harvested for food.

Because leatherbacks only eat jellyfish, they often eat plastic bags, balloons, and other pollution confusing it for jellyfish. The bag can cause blockages or trick the turtle into thinking it's food -- so it won't eat as much as it needs to survive.

YOU can help all sea turtles (which are all endangered) by reducing, reusing and recycling. Use reusable cloth bags whenever possible. If you must use plastic bags, recycle them. (Many grocery stores have recycling centers within their stores.)