Leatherback Turtle

Species at Risk Status: Endangered

Where do they live?

Ranging further than any other reptile, the leatherback turtle is found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and also in the Mediterranean Sea. In Canada, leatherbacks have been seen off the coasts of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. They have also been seen, though less frequently, off the coast of British Columbia. Leatherbacks have been recorded swimming as fast as nine kilometers an hour. They can dive to more than 1,000 metres and can stay underwater for more than an hour before having to come up to breathe. Their relatively high metabolic rate, and other physiological traits allow them to maintain a body temperature as much as 18°C above that of the surrounding water.

What do they look like?

The world's largest reptile, the leatherback turtle's upper shell—or carapace—can grow to more than two metres in length. It is also the only sea turtle that does not have a hard shell. Instead, its carapace (or shell) is covered with leathery skin. The skin (which is a dark bluish-black color) covers a thick layer of fat, tissue and bony plates that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. The front flippers are often half as long as its carapace. The leatherback's body is teardrop-shaped, tapering at the rear. The bottom of the turtle's shell is a mottled white. Each leatherback turtle has a pink patch on the top of its head. Each pink patch is as unique as a person's fingerprint, but we don't know what purpose it serves.

What do they eat?

Jellyfish are their main diet, but they will also eat other soft-bodied creatures and other types of food. Like all turtles, leatherbacks do not have teeth. They do have two sharp cusps on their upper jaw and one on their lower jaw; these are used to grab food. The leatherback's throat is lined with sharp spines that point towards its stomach. These spines keep slippery jellyfish from escaping once they are swallowed.

What is their life cycle?

We don't know how long the turtles live or how quickly they grow, but we do know they nest on tropical beaches in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. After mating the female waits for nightfall and then climbs on to the beach to dig a shallow pit in the sand. She deposits her eggs there. Although females lay between 60 and 90 eggs at a time, only a few hatchlings will survive to grow to adulthood and breed.

Why is it at risk?

Vulnerable and slow-moving on land female leatherback turtles are easy prey when they leave the ocean to nest. In some countries, the females are killed and their meat is sold. Also, the turtles' nests are easy to locate; the eggs—considered delicacies in many countries—are taken and eaten. Many once-quiet nesting beaches are now busy tourist resorts; hatchlings that emerge from the few eggs that survive are often disoriented by the bright lights and noise, and are unable to find their way to the sea.

Hatchlings have many natural predators. They are tempting prey for crabs, seagulls, crows, vultures and hawks. Once they reach the ocean, the hatchlings become potential food for octopi, sharks and other large fish. Fully grown leatherback turtles have few natural predators, although they are occasionally attacked by large sharks and killer whales.

In the ocean, leatherback turtles can become entwined in fishing gear. While many fishers are careful to release trapped leatherbacks, some turtles drown before help arrives. The turtles can also become tangled in discarded fishing line and plastic bags floating in the ocean, or mistake plastic debris for food. The plastic blocks the leatherbacks' stomach, causing eventual starvation.

What is being done?

The leatherback turtle is protected in Canada under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). A recovery team under SARA has been formed and a recovery strategy for Pacific Ocean leatherbacks has been drafted. A recovery strategy and action plan is in the process of being developed for the Atlantic Ocean leatherback turtles.

Last updated : 2007-06-12

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