Leatherback Sea Turtle
The largest living turtle on Earth, the leatherback sea turtle is also the heaviest and can be easily differentiated from other sea turtles, in the fact that it lacks a shell. Instead of a shell, the turtle has a covering of skin, hence the name, ‘Leatherback’.
Currently, the leatherback sea turtle is one of three sea turtle species that are listed as critically endangered.
Physiology
The leatherback sea turtle has a very large head and short tail, while the flattened forelimbs are adapted for swimming. In large members of the species, the front flippers can grow as large as 270 centimeters. Typically, the turtle will be colored dark grey or black, with some white spots.
The leatherback sea turtles will stretch one to two meters in length and weigh 250 to 700 kilograms, with the largest ever found measuring in at 3 meters long, and weighing over 900 pounds. Leatherback sea turtles rank as the fourth largest reptile, behind crocodiles.
Leatherback sea turtles can also dive deeper than any reptile known, going as far down as 1,200 meters. They are also one of the fastest reptiles on Earth, being able to reach speeds of 35.28 kilometers per hour. The adult leatherback sea turtle eats almost nothing but jellyfish, controlling the jellyfish population. As well, dead leatherbacks that wash ashore have been found to create amazing micro-ecosystems of their own through decomposition, with organisms from more than a dozen families taking part in the decomposition.
Habitat
Typically, the turtle is found in the open ocean, preferring to be in deeper water. They often feed close to land, and actually enjoy to swim in colder waters, as cold as 4.5 degrees Celsius.
The turtles will leave their nesting beaches when they are born and head right to the ocean. At this point, they are not seen until later into their maturity and very few of the leatherback sea turtles survive to maturity. The species will also migrate great distances, including some that were tagged off the coast of South America, and were then found in Morocco.
Typically, the turtle can be found across the globe, depending on the time of year and where it nests for the year.
Conclusion
The turtle is a well-known type, being the largest living species. However, that comes at a price and the turtle is currently one of the most endangered in the world. However, through hard work and determination, people are beginning to help the turtles make a comeback.
