Leatherback Sea Turtle

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Leatherback Sea Turtle

• Adria Tuck
• Lettisha Nieves
• Robyn Hyder
• Marine Biology
• per. 5
• 1-15-99
• Group Project

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The Leatherback Sea Turtle
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Where the Leatherback Lives

• The most common place to find the Leatherback is
  in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
• At birth they are born on land, but will spend
  most of their life in the water.
• The Leatherback can also be found in the Indian
  Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

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How the Leatherback Lives

• The Leatherback is carnivorous.
• The Leatherback usually stays in one area most of
  the day, unless on the prowl for food.
• A short while after the Leatherback is born, they
  follow the moonlight towards the water.
• The males live almost their entire life in the
  water, but the females go to shore to lay their
  eggs.

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What the Leatherback Eats

• The Leatherback eats jellyfish, crustaceans, and
  cuttlefishes.
• The Leatherbacks main diet is jellyfish, and
  this is unfortunately why so many die.
• The Leatherback often mistakes discarded plastic
  items, such as monofilament and Styrofoam for
  prey. When they swallow the debris they
  suffocate.
• It eats twice its body weight daily.

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The Leatherbacks Size

• The Leatherback is the largest turtle known.
• When the Leatherback is full grown, it usually
  reaches 6 feet, and weighs no less than 1420 lbs.
• When the Leatherback is first born they are about
  the size of a fist.

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The Leatherbacks Length of Life

• The Leatherback can live for about 100 years and
  sometimes longer.
• When the Leatherback is born, about half of them
  die because of their lack of ability of finding
  the water.
• Seagulls also swoop down and pick up helpless
  baby turtles who havent made it to the water by
  daylight.

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How the Leatherback Reproduces

• The Leatherback female comes to shore to make a
  hole and lay her eggs. After she is finished
  laying her eggs, she buries them and heads off
  into the water again.
• The Leatherback reproduces sexually. When she
  finds her mate, he fertilizes her eggs then she
  makes her way to the shore.

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Are the Leatherbacks Endangered?

• Yes, the Leatherback sea turtle is currently
  listed as endangered.
• Having never been a numerous species to begin
  with, this sea turtle is especially vulnerable to
  threats.
• One large threat to Leatherbacks are the
  shrimp-trawling fleets of the Caribbean and the
  Pacific.
• Another threat is pollution in the water.

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Bibliography

• Encyclopedia Americana Vol.17 pg. 167
  Leatherback,Leathery Trunkback Turtle.
• Http//otn.uoregon.edu/holmans/LeatherBack/turtlef
  rntpge
• Alderton, David. Turtles Tortoises of the
  World. Pgs. 24, 32, 36, 45, 47, 74, 89, 94, and
  121-122.

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The End

• Thank you to Mrs. Chapman for her wonderful work
  and for teaching us about the different marine
  animals there are.