![]() ![]() But boy do these guys have it tough! As they scurry across the sand, the hatchlings need to be careful of birds, snakes, crabs and other creatures who’d love to gobble them up. When the eggs hatch (about two months later) the tiny baby turtles dig their way out of their nest and make for the sea. She then lays her eggs inside the hole, covers them with sand and head backs to the ocean. During the ‘nesting season’, the female crawls onto the beach where she hatched as a baby many years before, and digs a hole in the sand. Like other turtle species, leatherbacks migrate huge distances between their breeding and feeding areas. Then backward pointing spines lining the leatherback’s throat hold the doomed jellyfish in place as it passes to the turtle tummy. Firstly, two sharp cusps on their upper jaw allow them to pierce and hold onto their squishy prey. ![]() The leatherback’s favourite food is jellyfish, and they’re well adapted for attacking and guzzling such gooey grub. These awesome adaptations also allow them to dive to dive to cold, dark depths of over 1,000m, deeper than any other of our planet’s turtles! Scientists believe this is because they are equipped with a thick layer of insulating fat and a unique blood system, which keeps their body warmer than the surrounding water. Super swimmers, they have the widest distribution of all marine turtles, and can be found in our oceans as far north as Alaska, USA, and as far south as New Zealand.Ĭompared to other turtles, leatherbacks can survive in much colder seas. Leatherback turtles propel through the water using their powerful front flippers (which can span up to a massive 2.7m), while their rear flippers help steer them, a bit like the rudder of a boat. Instead, as it’s name suggests, this ocean giant has a leathery shell that’s quite soft and flexible.ĭid you know that we have a FREE downloadable Turtle conservation primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike! But unlike other species of sea turtles, such as the loggerhead and green sea turtle, the leatherback’s shell isn’t hard. The world’s largest turtles, leatherbacks can grow to to around 2m long and weigh up to a massive 900kg – that’s heavier than 11 men! They have four broad flippers, a triangular head and a barrel-shaped body covered by a large, black, speckled shell (or carapace). Ready to travel the oceans far and wide to meet one of our planet’s oldest animals? Then take a look at our leatherback turtle facts!
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