Amazing world of Leatherback Turtle, world’s largest turtle

Leatherbacks turtle is among the world’s seven sea turtle species living on Africa’s continental shores from Mauritania south to Angola on Africa’s Atlantic coast, and from South Africa north to Somalia on the Indian Ocean coast.

These turtles have been largely endangered by man and his activities in and around the oceans and it’s population has drastically reduced.

The turle may ingest fishing line, balloons, plastic bags, floating tar or oil, and other materials discarded by humans which they can mistake for food just like marine debris also cause their death.

Climate Change is also an issue as warming climate is likely to result in changes in beach morphology and higher sand temperatures which can be lethal to eggs, or alter the ratio of male and female hatchlings produced.

While the sea rises and during storms, erosion happens at the beach resulting to flooding and washing away of the eggs.

Changes in the temperature of the marine environment are likely to alter the abundance and distribution of food resources, leading to a shift in the migratory and foraging range and nesting season of leatherbacks.

Other human activities affecting these sea creatures include fishing, sea polution, vessel strikes and harvesting of their eggs by fishers.

Presently, leatherback turtles are protected in many countries, but in some places, the killing of leatherbacks and collection of eggs continue.

Female leatherbacks return to nest every 2 to 4 years. Leatherbacks nest several times during a nesting season, typically at 8- to 12-day intervals and lay clutches of approximately 100 eggs. The eggs incubate approximately two months before leatherback hatchlings emerge from the nest

Leatherback sea turtles undertake the longest migrations between breeding and feeding areas of any sea turtle, some averaging 3,700 miles each way. They spend most of their lives in the ocean, but females leave the water to lay eggs. Leatherbacks are strong swimmers and can dive to depths of approximately 4,000 feet—deeper than any other turtle—and can stay down for up to 85 minutes.

Leatherback turtles grow faster than hard-shelled turtles. However, there is uncertainty about the age at which they reach sexual maturity. Average estimates range from 9 to 20 years of age. Likewise, little is known about their life expectancy, but they are likely long-lived, with longevity estimates of 45 to 50 years, or more.

This sea turtle is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. It is estimated that the global population has declined 40 percent over the past three generations

It is the largest turtle in the world. They are the only species of sea turtle that lack scales and a hard shell. They are named for their tough rubbery skin and have existed in their current form since the age of the dinosaurs. Leatherbacks are highly migratory, some swimming over 10,000 miles a year between nesting and foraging grounds. They are also accomplished divers with the deepest recorded dive reaching nearly 4,000 feet—deeper than most marine mammals.

The leatherback turtle has the widest global distribution of any reptile, with nesting mainly on tropical or subtropical beaches. Once prevalent in every ocean except the Arctic and Antarctic, the leatherback population is rapidly declining in many parts of the world. They face threats on both nesting beaches and in the marine environment

Quick Facts

WEIGHT
Adult: 750 to 1,000 pounds

LENGTH
Adult: 5 to 6 feet

LIFESPAN
Unknown, but estimated to be 50 years or more

Source:https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov