Why Wouldn’t You Want to be a Leatherback Sea

Turtle?Everything You Need to Know about the Earth’s Largest

Written by: Bri Kappers

Riverview Publishing

Table of Contents:Introduction………………………………………………………..……………..pg. 3

Chapter 1: Turtle Crash Course……………………………………………pg. 4

Chapter 2: What Do They Do All Day?…………………………………pg. 6

Chapter 3: The Circle of Life………………………………..………………pg. 7

Chapter 4: How Can We Help?……………………………………………pg. 8

Chapter 5: Leatherback vs. Green Sea Turtle ………………………pg. 9

Conclusion……………………………………………………..………………..pg. 10

Glossary……………………………………………………………………………pg. 11

Bibliography……………………………………………………………………. pg. 12

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IntroductionWhy wouldn’t you want to be a leatherback sea turtle? After all, you would

have the chance to swim all over the world. Just imagine the things you would see! Leatherback Sea Turtles range the open ocean from Norway to New Zealand and everywhere in between, travelling as much as 3,700 miles in one direction! With their large flippers, they are able to move quickly from place to place and dive as deep as 3,000 feet in search of food.

Leatherback turtles are the largest of all turtle species, and can grow to be larger than an adult male human. They are also one of the oldest animal species on earth-they have been swimming the seas for over 100 million years, since the time of the dinosaurs! Since they are so old, they have sharpened their senses and are quite aware of their surroundings. With their sharp hearing, ability to see in the dark, and a nose that is stronger than that of a dog, leatherback turtles are able to easily avoid predators.

Just imagine having the ability to swim at high speeds wherever you wanted to go in the world. What an incredible adventure that would be!

Leatherback turtle digging in the sand

The leatherback population in the Pacific Ocean has dropped over 90% since 1980.

Leatherback sea turtles can travel up to 10,000 miles each year.

Male turtles will spend

Chapter 1: Turtle Crash Course

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Leatherback turtles are the fourth largest reptile in the world. They are preceded by three species of crocodiles.

Unlike other sea turtles, leatherbacks have a soft shell with layers of oily skin rather than a hard shell.

Leatherback sea turtles are the largest, most migratory species of sea turtle in the world. They range all over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans from East Africa, the Coral Triangle, the Galapagos Islands, and Southern California. Leatherback turtles got their name because they have a softer, more flexible shell than other species of turtles that feel somewhat rubbery to the touch. Another characteristic of leatherback turtles is that they can grow up to 7 feet tall and weigh as much as 2,000 pounds. Now that’s large!

In the last twenty years, there has been a large decline in the leatherback turtle population. This is because they have experienced a loss of food such as jellyfish, which is their main food source. In addition, they have also been victims of habitat loss and bycatching. Bycatching is when a marine animal gets caught up and killed in a fishing net. Commercial fishing has played a large role in the decline of the turtle population.

Some things we can do to help leatherback turtles is work to eliminate bycatch. We can do this by establishing protected habitats for turtles where people are not allowed to fish. To help establish where these habitats should be, scientists are working to use satellite tracking devices that will tell them where the most populated areas are. With this information, they can decide where the best protected habitat sites should be.

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The leatherback population in the Pacific Ocean has dropped over 90% since 1980.

Leatherback sea turtles can travel up to 10,000 miles each year.

Male turtles will spend

An adult leatherback turtle walks toward the ocean.

Chapter 2: What Do They Do All Day? 5

Adult leatherback turtle with a satellite tracking device.

Example maps tracking leatherback migrations using satellite technology.

Chapter 3: The Circle of Life

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Leatherback sea turtles spend most of their time swimming in the open ocean rather than in shallow waters.  Because of this, they have flattened forelimbs that lack claws which works to reduce resistance as they swim.  They also have the largest flippers of any turtle species so that they are able to propel themselves quickly through the water.  

These turtles are in constant motion and have been found to spend as little as 0.1% of the day resting.  As a result of this, they are able to create muscle-derived heat.  Combined with the layers of fat that are already on their large bodies, this helps the leatherback stay warm in waters much cooler than

Female leatherback turtles first mate at sea before coming ashore to nest. They often travel up to 2,700 miles to reach their nesting destination. Once they come ashore, the mother turtle will dig a large hole in the sand. Next, she will deposit up to 80 eggs in the hole and then fill up the nest. Finally, she will create a large disturbed area in the sand so that predators

Leatherback turtles are able to dive very far, so they prefer to live in deeper waters.

They are highly adaptable, so they are found in every world ocean with the exception of the Arctic Ocean.

They are most commonly found in the waters near Florida, Puerto Rico, and St. Croix.

Chapter 4: Leatherbacks vs. Green Sea Turtles

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Female leatherback turtles first mate at sea before coming ashore to nest. They often travel up to 2,700 miles to reach their nesting destination. Once they come ashore, the mother turtle will dig a large hole in the sand. Next, she will deposit up to 80 eggs in the hole and then fill up the nest. Finally, she will create a large disturbed area in the sand so that predators

Leatherback sea turtles share many similar characteristics with other turtle species. Although they have the widest global distribution of any reptile, they are followed closely by the Green Sea Turtle. Both species can be found as far north as Alaska and Norway and as far south as Chile and New Zealand, but the Green Sea Turtle tends to swim close to shore whereas the Leatherback Sea Turtle often swims in the open ocean.

Other traits that the turtles have in common include their inability to pull their heads inside their shells. This leaves them more vulnerable to predators, boats, and other hazards such as fishing nets. Both types of turtle are listed as endangered, and they are critically endangered in certain parts of the world. They also both migrate long distances during their lifetimes, sometimes traveling as far as 3,000 miles in one direction. Additionally, in both species the females will return to land to nest every year while the males rarely, if ever, return to land once they have hatched from their eggs.

Although they have many similarities, there are several differences between them as well. For example, the Leatherback is the largest of all sea turtles measuring up to 7 feet long and weighing up to 1,000 pounds. In contrast, the Green Sea Turtle is much smaller, only measuring up to 5 feet and tipping the scales at 700 pounds. Another difference is apparent in their diet; leatherbacks subsist by eating jellyfish and other small fish while green turtles are herbivores and eat seaweed and algae. Finally, the Leatherback Sea Turtle got its name because its shell is soft to the touch with a leathery feel. On the other hand, Green Sea Turtles have hard shells and are named because of the green color of their skin.

Female leatherbacks reach maturity and begin to lay eggs between the ages of 8 and 15 years.

Mating season varies based on the location that turtles live, but they mainly mate in the winter months.

Chapter 5: How Can We Help?

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Leatherback Sea Turtle Green Sea Turtle

Conclusion

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One of the most significant problems facing leatherback sea turtles is that their population is rapidly declining due to human activity. Some of the major components that have contributed to population decline are habitat loss, interactions with boats, bycatch (the entanglement of turtles in fishing nets), pollution, and the eating of their eggs, which are considered delicacies in many countries. According to National Geographic, it is estimated that only 1 in 1,000 turtle hatchlings will reach adulthood.

There are several possible solutions to this issue. One option would be to outlaw the harvesting and eating of turtle eggs. In Malaysia, where the eggs are a delicacy (or delicious, gourmet food), the turtle population has been almost completely obliterated. If there were stricter rules and penalties surrounding the harvesting of turtle eggs, people may be less likely to take them. Offering more opportunities to educate people of the impact of their actions may also have a profound impact on decreasing the amount of eggs that are eaten by humans.

Another solution would be to establish protected habitat areas for turtles to live without running into fishing boats or nets. Scientists are currently using satellites to track the migration patterns of turtles. Once this data is collected, it could be used to find where leatherback populations are the highest and establish a protected area. This would boost the turtle community by reducing the number of turtles who are caught in nets or struck by boats.

A final solution is to establish proper waste removal procedures and enforce them in order to reduce the amount of plastic trash that ends up in the ocean. A leatherback turtle’s diet is primarily made up of jellyfish and they often mistake plastic waste or balloons for their food. This causes their intestines to become blocked and eventually kills them. According to National Geographic, some turtles have been found with nearly 11 pounds of plastic in their stomach. To prevent this from happening, countries need to have a clear method of disposing of plastic trash so it doesn’t end up in the ocean.

Now that you know a little bit more about leatherback sea turtles, can you imagine how amazing it would be to be one? You would get to swim all over the Earth, seeing many incredible sights along the way. Your giant fins and smooth skin would help you glide easily through the water in order to avoid predators. You could be one of the most powerful swimmers in the world. What’s not to love about that?

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Bibliography

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