HiguInfo- Home of Sea Turtles

Distribution

Leatherback turtles have the widest distribution of all sea turtles, found globally from 60-70°N to 48°S latitude. They’re amazing deep divers as well, can dive to depths of more than 1000 meters.

Description

Unlike other sea turtles, leatherback’s carapace is leathery and flexible, with five to seven longitudinal ridges running the length of the carapace. Color range from black to dark blue, with lighter spots. It takes a juvenile leatherback 30 years to reach sexual maturity. Without the restriction of a hard, bony shell, they are the largest sea turtle. A matured adult can weigh 300-1000 kg, with carapace 1.3-2.5 meters in length.

Ecology

Leatherbacks are the only pelagic sea turtle, foraging in the open ocean for jellyfish, but they also feed on shrimps, crabs, molluscs, and small fishes. They are the most migratory sea turtle species, migrating between temperate foraging area and tropical nesting beaches. Migration distances can reach more than a thousand miles.

Major Threats

The leatherback is the least abundant sea turtle in the world, and they’re considered “critically endangered” by the IUCN Red List. Due to their pelagic, migratory life style, population decline is primarily due to bycatch in fisheries. They’re also vulnerable to harvest of eggs and meat in their nesting grounds. Another great threat is ingestion of floating marine debris, especially plastic bags which resemble their favorite prey, jellyfish. When ingested, plastics often block their digestive tract, preventing them from eating.