Leatherback Sea Turtle
By Jaime Guerrero Jr and Alondra Mondragon Rodriguez
Leatherback sea turtle facts.
- Leatherback Sea Turtles have lots of sharp teeth
- A Leatherback Sea Turtle could be 6 to 7.2 feet long
- A Leatherback Sea Turtle could lay up to 110 eggs
Why are leatherback sea turtles endanger?
Leatherbacks are the world's largest (ocean-going) turtles. They are also the only sea turtle with a soft, rubbery shell. (All others have hard, bony-plated shells.) Leatherbacks have special adaptations that allow them to eliminate waste gases through their skin, so they can stay under water for a very long periods of time. Inside their bodies, they actually convert salt water to fresh water, ingesting the sea water around them and removing the salt. Their bodies are insulated by a thick layer of fat -- another adaptation that is unique among turtles to leatherbacks.
How can we save leatherback sea turtles?
Protecting a Flagship Ocean Species
Our Sea Turtle Restoration Project works to provide solutions to make the oceans and coasts safe for all protected species.