🐟 AquaticCare difficulty: AdvancedLegal complexity: High — restricted in many states
Leatherback sea turtle
Dermochelys coriacea
The leatherback is the largest turtle in the world and the only sea turtle with a leathery rather than hard shell. A globally migrating jellyfish-eater, it faces threats from bycatch, plastic pollution, and the loss of nesting beaches, and several populations are severely depleted.
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Quick facts
| Size | The largest turtle; shell to ~2 m, weight up to ~700 kg. |
| Lifespan | 30–50 years |
| Native region | Oceans worldwide (highly migratory) |
| Climate | 🍂 Temperate |
| Water type | 🌊 Marine |
| Genus | Dermochelys |
Habitat & enclosure
Ranges across all the world's oceans, from tropical nesting beaches to cold, productive feeding waters far from land. Fisheries bycatch, ingestion of plastic mistaken for jellyfish, egg poaching, and beach loss threaten it. It is strictly protected and CITES Appendix I; this profile is conservation/education only.
Diet
A specialist predator of jellyfish and other soft-bodied animals, which is why floating plastic bags are so deadly when mistaken for prey. Its appetite helps regulate jellyfish populations across the oceans.
Behavior & temperament
Capable of deep dives and long migrations, it maintains a body temperature above the surrounding cold water, an unusual feat for a reptile. Protecting nesting beaches and reducing bycatch and plastic pollution are the central conservation actions.
Reviewed and signed off by: KinStation Editorial — conservation profile (pending DVM/biologist review)