Science (VIMS) personnel observed 23 Leatherback Sea Turtles in the Chesapeake Bay (Barnard et al., They are the only sea turtle with a leathery soft shell, and unfortunately are in danger of extinction. The large head cannot be withdrawn into the shell. Population Estimate: around 35,860 nesting females (male population numbers are unknown). sheets are eaten by these turtles. which means "leather". A leatherback's mouth and throat also have backward-pointing spines that help retain such gelatinous prey. Jellyfish are the main staple of its diet, but it is also known to feed on sea urchins, squid, crustaceans, tunicates, fish, blue-green algae, and floating seaweed. Diet: Leatherbacks have scissor-like jaws that are shaped like a W. Their jaws are made of soft skin, and can be damaged by anything other than a diet of soft-bodied animals, so they feed almost exclusively on jellyfish. Hatchlings are marked be white stripes and the front flippers are as long as the shell. Alternate and Previous Names (Synonyms) Dermochelys coriacea - Leatherback Sea Turtle (Stebbins & McGinnis 2012) Dermochelys coriacea schlegeli - Pacific Leatherback (Stebbins 1966, 1985, 2003) Dermochelys coriacea - Leather-backed Turtle (Stebbins 1954) Luth Conservation Issues (Conservation Status) Critically endangered. nets (Lutcavage, 1981; Musick et al., 1985). Conservation efforts should be Nesting female leatherbacks tagged in French Guiana have been found along the east coast of North America as far north as Newfoundland. In an analysis of available sightings (Eckert 2002), researchers found that leatherback turtles smaller than 100 cm carapace length were only sighted in waters 26C or warmer, while adults were found in waters as cold as 0 to 15C off Newfoundland (Goff and Lean 1988). The leatherback is the only sea turtle that lacks a hard, bony shell. 53 - 70 in. Long-term monitoring studies of Leatherback nesting populations have … Scientists recognize seven living species of sea turtles, … Each sea turtle has both a scientific name and a … The leatherback is the champion of sea turtles: … Leatherback turtle returns to the… Scientific Name: Dermochelys coriacea Fijian Name: ‘tutuwalu’ Species Description. Pritchard, 1980; Iverson, 1992) have recognized no subspecies. Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea). Leatherbacks are commonly known as pelagic animals, but also forage in coastal waters. WWF turtle coordinator observes a leatherback turtle in Playa Chiriqui, Panama. In the Pacific, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) notes that most leatherback nesting populations have declined more than 80%. The material on this site can not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with prior written permission of Multiply. Nesting: Leatherbacks nest at intervals of 2 to 3 years, but recent research has indicated they can nest every year based on their environment and how healthy they are. They are the largest sea turtle species and also one of the most migratory, crossing both the … Leatherback Sea Turtles are able to maintain their the author of the name Testudo coriacea, but Bour (1979) discovered that Vandelli first Female leatherbacks nest an average of 5 to 7 times within a nesting season, with an observed maximum of 11 nests. Oceans. was first used for this species by Blain- ville (1816). It traveled a minimum The Cape Hatteras National Seashore is at the extreme northern limit for nesting (with only a handful of nests over the last twenty years). No limbs possess claws. distance of 2,168 km (Keinath and Musick, 1990). Leatherbacks feed almost exclusively on jellyfish, making them susceptible to mistakenly swallowing plastic bags floating in the ocean, which can kill them. fishermen in the Gulf of Guacanayabo, southern Cuba, captured and killed this turtle.

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