Leatherback Sea Turtle

ID points

• No hard shell, the back is covered in leathery skin instead
• Seven bony ridges run lengthwise along the back
• The largest of the sea turtles, with very long front flippers

Basics

Family

Dermochelyidae

Length

140–200 cm

Depth

0-1200 m

Regions

Indo-Pacific reefs · Caribbean & W. Atlantic · Temperate & polar · Open ocean

Distribution

Open ocean in tropical and temperate waters worldwide

Habitat

Open ocean, surface waters

Diet

Jellyfish

Easily confused with

False Killer WhaleEntirely black, with a conical head and no beakNarwhalIn males the upper left canine grows out into a long spiral tuskOrcaSharply black and white, with a white oval patch behind the eye

Fun fact

The Leatherback is the largest living turtle, and its shell is leathery rather than a hard carapace. It can dive beyond 1200 metres, feeds mainly on jellyfish, and is listed as Vulnerable (globally by the IUCN, with some regional subpopulations Critically Endangered).