The leatherback turtle, also known as the oceanic turtle, it belongs to the class Reptilia, order Testudines, and family Dermochelyidae.
The leatherback sea turtle is the sole surviving representative of its evolutionary lineage, dating back over 100 million years.
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facts about the Leatherback Sea Turtle:
- The largest turtle in the world.
- The leatherback sea turtle maintains its body temperature in cold water by using a unique set of adaptations that allow it to generate and retain body heat.
- The leatherback sea turtle is an excellent and skilled diver, capable of diving to depths of up to 1300 meters in a single dive.
- The leatherback sea turtle is resistant and can withstand cold water due to its fins that help regulate body temperature.
- Its leather is beneficial for breaking down food, leatherback turtles outside their backs can capture between 10 and 100 kg of prey.
- Leatherback sea turtles are an endangered species due to overfishing, as well as collisions with boats that often result in their death.
Leatherback turtle specification
Length and size: The length of the leatherback sea turtle can reach up to seven feet, and it can weigh over 2000 pounds.
The back : The back of the leatherback turtle is characterized by its color and unique appearance.
The flesh: The flesh of this species is not palatable and has a foul odor, making it inedible.
true shell: The leatherback turtle does not have a true shell on its back, but rather a thick layer of skin protects its back.
Head: It has a small head, smooth skin, and lacks the typical scutes covering its body.
Color: The underside of its body tends to be white.
Thick: The leatherback turtle has a thick, short neck with a central vertebra that has a convex face.
A specific part of the neck includes 20 degrees to the North, etc., 10 degrees up and down.
Flippers : They have leather-covered flippers that have evolved into flattened paddles without claws.
The front pair of these flippers is pointed at the tip, while their hind flippers are very short.
Scutes: The leatherback turtle’s back features scutes covering its entire body, which begin to disappear after the first year of birth.
The leatherback sea turtle does not have scutes on its back but rather has ridges or quickly tapered protrusions towards the back that resemble spines to some extent
Leatherback sea turtle habitat
Leatherback sea turtles live in the waters of the North Atlantic Ocean and in extreme northern regions such as Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Labrador.
The leatherback sea turtle also lives in Argentina, South Africa, and in the waters in the far east, such as Britain and Norway. The presence of leatherback sea turtles has also been discovered during nesting season in Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad, Gabon, and West Africa. Leatherback sea turtles lay their eggs in the sandy beaches of tropical regions.
Leatherback sea turtle diet
Leatherback sea turtles have a delicate jaw, so they mainly feed on jellyfish, which have a gelatinous body. They also feed on seaweed, small fish, shrimp, and snail eggs. In a single day, a leatherback sea turtle can eat its weight in jellyfish, meaning it can consume up to 50 of these marine animals.
Reproduction stages of leatherback sea turtles:
Leatherback sea turtles embark on the longest migrations between their breeding and feeding grounds. After mating at sea, female leatherback sea turtles come to the shore during the nesting season to lay eggs. They perform some nocturnal rituals, such as digging a hole in the sand and leaving a large disturbed area of sand to make it difficult for predators to discover.
They lay around 80 eggs.
The temperature determines the gender of the offspring, where high temperatures produce females and low temperatures produce males
The most important questions and information about the leatherback turtle
1.What is the estimated lifespan of a leatherback sea turtle?
Leatherback sea turtle lifespan is about 50 years.
2.How do leatherback sea turtles breathe underwater?
Leatherback turtles hide their backs by absorbing oxygen through their skin and can breathe through their lungs in cold water. This is done by choosing slow-moving prey, as slower feeding leads to less energy and oxygen consumption.
3. What adaptations do leatherback sea turtles follow to adapt to their bodies?
Leatherback sea turtles follow migration routes, traveling long distances across oceans and seas to find suitable nesting grounds and food.
They can adapt to their bodies by possessing hydrodynamic structures.
Leatherback sea turtles can hide from predators by camouflaging themselves in seagrass or blending into the surrounding environment.
4. How do leatherback sea turtles navigate in water?
The primary way that leatherback sea turtles use to navigate is swimming; they are strong swimmers, using their powerful front flippers to propel themselves through water. They can also use their hind flippers for steering and maneuvering.
5. What defense techniques do leatherback sea turtles use?
Leatherback sea turtles use camouflage, disguise, speed in swimming, as well as attacking with their necks as defense mechanisms
In conclusion, leatherback sea turtles are wonders of nature that thrive in the depths of the oceans. Despite their uniqueness and beauty, these creatures face environmental challenges that threaten their existence. However, with collective efforts, we can protect these giant turtles and preserve their natural habitat. Let’s work together, each one of us, to conserve our environmental heritage and secure a bright future for leatherback sea turtles and all marine life
** References
Wikipedia
