Leatherback Sea Turtle
Dermochelys Coriacea
Leatherback Sea Turtle
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/2103943063/
Baby Leatherback Sea Turtle
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyg/183138174/
Leatherback Sea Turtle
http://www.flickr.com/photos/reiner/2950532261/
Description
- Classification: reptile
- The Leatherback Sea turtle has a special body covering. Their shell is somewhat flexible and almost rubbery.
- This turtle can be four to six feet in length, and can weigh up to 2000 pounds.
- Unlike other turtles, the Leatherback Sea turtles can keep their bodies warmer than its surroundings.
- They also have flippers instead of claws.
Habitat
- The Leatherback Sea turtles are located in central eastern Australia, south east Australia, south western Australia, and southern Australia.
- They also migrate to breed in neighboring countries such as, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.
- Their home is in the water.
- Terrain: in the open sea/ocean.
- Climate: tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters.
Adaptation
- The Leatherback sea turtle has a somewhat flexible and almost rubbery to the touch shell/carapace.
- Their shell helps them dive deeper.
- To stay away from their predators, they dive deep enough that other animals can't.
- The Leatherback turtle has a throat that contains dozens of backward pointing spines that prevent jellyfish from escaping before they are swallowed.
- These turtles are also able to maintain warm body temperature in cold water by using their thick layer of fat, they are able to swim to various places.
Food Chain
- The Leatherback Sea turtle mainly get their food sources from the open ocean.
- They mostly eat jellyfish and other soft-bodied invertebrates.
- Leatherback Sea turtles are carnivorous.
- They are also predators to jellyfish and other soft prey.
- These turtles are also prey, they are eaten by killer whales and large sharks.
Critical Information
- The Leatherback Sea turtles are protected under state and Northern Territory Legislation.
- Oceana is helping these turtles by protecting their habitat and are developing legislation to protect sea turtles.
- We should save the Leatherback Sea turtles because it is the largest turtle and if it goes extinct, there would be no turtle as big.
- Also, these turtles don't harm any other animal, except jellyfishes and other invertebrates.
- Leatherback turtles are also very unique, instead of a hard shell they have a rubbery almost flexible shell.
Citation
PICTURES
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/2103943063/">wallyg</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyg/183138174/">jimmyweee</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/reiner/2950532261/">reiner.kraft</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>
Baby Leatherback Sea Turtles Release in Costa Rica