Leatherback Sea Turtle

Leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), also known as lute turtles or simply the luth, are the world’s largest living turtles. These turtles get their name from their unique, leathery shell (carapace), a unique adaptation that allows for deep dives in pursuit of their gelatinous prey.

These migratory marvels travel more than 10,000 miles between their nesting and feeding grounds, guided by ancient instincts and the Earth’s magnetic fields. These sea turtles inhabit all of the world’s oceans except the Arctic and Antarctic. However, they feed in cold, nutrient-rich waters where jellyfish are abundant and breed in tropical waters.

Continue reading to explore more about the leatherback sea turtle.

Appearance

The leatherback turtle has dark-colored, leathery skin with seven ridges running down its back. Its shell is made of a layer of small bones covered by a layer of tough, rubbery skin. The shell is flexible and can bend as the turtle moves, making it easier for it to swim. The turtle’s head is elongated and has a pointed beak-like mouth that it uses to catch its prey.

Their body is teardrop-shaped and highly hydrodynamic, allowing them to move efficiently through the water. They are scaleless and have powerful, paddle-like front flippers that lack claws.

The leatherback turtle has large flippers that it uses to swim through the water. Its front flippers can be up to 10 feet long, which is longer than any other sea turtle. The flippers have a distinctive shape that resembles a curved scythe, which helps the turtle to swim efficiently.

Habitat

Leatherback turtles are found throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. They prefer to inhabit the open ocean but also come to shore to lay their eggs. Leatherback turtles can travel long distances; some have been known to swim over 10,000 miles in a year. Nesting in the United States usually occurs in Florida, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and St. Croix (U.S. Virgin Islands).

Leatherback turtles are solitary animals, and they spend most of their time in the water. They can dive to depths of up to 4,200 feet, which is deeper than any other sea turtle. They can also regulate warm body temperatures, allowing them to survive in cold water.

In the Western Pacific, leatherback sea turtles feed off the Pacific coast of North America. Afterward, they move across the Pacific Ocean to lay their eggs in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. Usually, they avoid coral reefs.

Diet

Surprisingly, this large and active animal mainly survives on jellyfish. The lute turtles’ jaws are soft and frail. Thus, they usually feed on soft-bodied open ocean prey like jellyfish. Their backward-pointing spines allow them to comfortably swallow the jellyfish and prevent it from flowing out.

Leatherback sea turtles consume large quantities of food relative to their body size. For instance, an adult leatherback sea turtle can consume as many jellyfish as their body weight in a day.

 In addition to jellyfish, they also feed on crustaceans or sea cucumbers, cephalopods, sea urchins, and snails.

The turtle’s mouth and esophagus are lined with sharp papillae that help it to hold onto slippery prey. The turtle’s stomach also has spines that help it to break down the jellyfish into smaller pieces.

Reproduction

Leatherback sea turtles have a long life span and reach maturity relatively late.

Although their sexual maturity age is uncertain, it is estimated to range between 16-30 years for females and around 10-12 years for males.

During mating, males locate a female by following her scent. They use their long claws to grip the sides of her shell. The mating typically occurs offshore, in deep waters.

After mating, the female leatherbacks make their way to the shore to lay their eggs. On reaching the beach, they dig a hole in the sand where they lay their eggs. They lay their eggs at night.

Leatherback turtles are unique among sea turtles because they do not have a hard shell, which allows them to dig deeper nests in the sand. The female can lay up to 100 eggs at a time, and she will lay multiple clutches of eggs throughout the nesting season.

Threats

The leatherback turtle is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their biggest threats are human activities such as hunting, egg harvesting, and pollution. Climate change is also a major threat to the species because it affects the turtles’ nesting sites and the availability of their prey.

Fisheries bycatch is another threat to their survival. They often get caught in fishing nets, plastic bags and lines as they come up to the surface to breathe. As a result, many turtles get entangled, leading to their death. Ingestion of marine debris is another threat to all species of sea turtles.

Another significant threat to them is habitat loss. This is mainly through coastal development and erosion, which destroy their nesting beaches, making it hard for them to lay their eggs.

Conservation efforts for the leatherback turtle include protecting nesting sites, reducing fishing activities that cause entanglement, and reducing pollution in their habitats. 

In some cultures, their eggs are considered a delicacy and are usually harvested for human consumption. This extensive egg collection can lead to their extinction.

Some countries have also implemented programs to protect turtle eggs and hatchlings and to educate the public about the importance of conservation.

7 More Facts about the Leatherback Sea Turtle

1. Leatherback turtles can dive to depths of up to 4,200 feet, which is deeper than any other sea turtle.
2. They can swim up to speeds of 22 miles per hour.
3. They have existed for over 100 million years, making them one of the oldest reptile species on Earth.
4. Leatherback turtles are able to migrate thousands of miles to return to the beach where they were born to lay their eggs.
5. The largest leatherback turtle ever recorded was found in Wales in 1988. It measured nine feet long and weighed 2,020 pounds.
6. Leatherbacks can remain submerged in water for as long as 85 minutes.
7. The temperature of the sand in which the eggs incubate determines the sex of the hatchlings. Warmer temperatures produce females, while cooler temperatures produce males.

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