Leatherback Sea Turtle

Leatherback sea turtles are the giants of the sea turtle world. Adult leatherbacks can grow up to 2.91 meters (9.5 feet) in length and weigh as much as 961.1 kilograms (2,120 pounds), although most adults are around 1.8 meters (6 feet) long and weigh between 250 to 700 kilograms (550-1,500 pounds).Unlike other sea turtles, the leatherback has a unique, leathery shell rather than a hard, bony one. Its shell is composed of a tough, rubbery, and flexible outer layer, which gives it its name. The shell has seven ridges running from the front to the back and is dark gray to black with a pinkish or white underside.Leatherbacks have a large, pointed head with powerful jaws capable of crushing jellyfish and other soft-bodied prey.They have large, long flippers, which are adapted for efficient swimming in open oceans. Their front flippers are especially long, reaching about 2.7 meters (9 feet) in length in some cases.

Leatherback sea turtles are found in the deep, open oceans of both tropical and temperate regions. They are highly migratory and can travel thousands of kilometers across the globe, from the Arctic Circle to the Antarctic Circle.Unlike most other sea turtles, leatherbacks are known to dive to extreme depths, sometimes as deep as 1,200 meters (4,000 feet), in search of jellyfish, their primary food source.They can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and they often migrate across entire ocean basins.Leatherbacks are primarily jellyfish eaters and are one of the few species of sea turtles that feed almost exclusively on soft-bodied animals.They are well adapted to consuming jellyfish with specialized jaws that allow them to grasp and swallow these creatures easily.Due to their jellyfish diet, they are also crucial in controlling jellyfish populations and maintaining the health of marine ecosystems.