Giant Leatherback Turtles: How Big Do They Grow?

The leatherback sea turtle is the largest living turtle, reaching up to 8 feet in length and weighing as much as 2,200 pounds. As its name suggests, the leatherback turtle has a flexible, rubbery shell, covered in leathery skin, rather than a hard, bony carapace. It is the only living species in the genus Dermochelys and family Dermochelyidae. It is also one of the largest reptiles on Earth and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile.

Leatherback turtles are the largest living turtles

The leatherback turtle is the largest living turtle species in the world. It is also one of the largest reptiles on Earth. Leatherback turtles can grow to sizes similar to a golf cart, reaching lengths of up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) and weighing between 500 and 2,000 pounds (225 to 900 kilograms). The average adult leatherback measures between 5 and 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 meters) and weighs 600 to 800 pounds (270 to 360 kilograms). The largest leatherback ever recorded washed up dead on the coast of Wales in 1988. It was over 9 feet long, weighed over 2,000 pounds, and was estimated to be about 100 years old.

Leatherback turtles are unique among sea turtles in that they do not have a hard, bony carapace (shell). Instead, they have a tough, rubbery shell composed of cartilage-like tissues. This specialised, flexible carapace allows them to dive to great depths, unlike other sea turtles. They also have downward-curving spines in their mouth and throat, which help them capture and swallow their prey.

Leatherback turtles are found in the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. They have the widest global distribution of all sea turtle species and possibly of any vertebrate. They can be found as far north as Alaska, Norway, and Canada and as far south as New Zealand, South America, and the tip of Africa.

Leatherback turtles are able to maintain warm body temperatures in cold water due to their large body size, thick layer of fat, and changing swimming activity. They also have a specialised blood vessel structure, called a countercurrent exchanger, that helps them retain body heat. This allows them to survive in extremely cold waters.

They can weigh up to 2,200 pounds

The leatherback turtle is the largest living turtle on the planet. It is also one of the largest reptiles in the world. Weighing up to 2,200 pounds (1,000 kg), the leatherback turtle is the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile. The average adult leatherback turtle weighs between 600 and 800 pounds (270 - 360 kg).

The leatherback turtle is the only turtle species that does not have a hard shell and scales. Instead, as its name implies, it has a tough, rubbery shell that is composed of cartilage-like tissues. This specialised, flexible carapace allows them to dive to great depths, unlike other species.

Leatherback turtles are found in the tropic and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans as far north as Alaska and as far south as New Zealand. They have the widest global distribution of all turtle species.

Leatherback turtles are able to maintain warm body temperatures in cold water due to some unique adaptations, including their large body size, a thick layer of fat and changing their swimming activity. They also have a specialised blood vessel structure that allows them to maintain a body temperature that is higher than the surrounding water, giving them a major advantage in extremely cold waters.

Leatherback turtles are known to travel incredibly long distances during their lifetimes. They are known to undertake the longest migrations between breeding and feeding areas of any sea turtle, averaging 3,700 miles each way.

Leatherback turtles are considered Vulnerable around the world by the IUCN Red List and listed as Endangered in the US. The Pacific population has declined by over 90% in the last two decades due primarily to entanglement in commercial fishing gear.

They are the only turtles without a hard shell

Leatherback turtles are unique among turtles in that they do not have a hard shell. Instead, their carapace (the dorsal portion of their shell) is covered in thick, leathery, oil-saturated skin with small bone plates anchored in place by collagen fibres. This adaptation makes them more streamlined and better able to withstand the high pressures experienced at the depths they dive to find food.

The leatherback's pliable shell is not its only unique feature. It is also the only modern turtle with a fully developed dorsal crest, which is an extension of the carapace that runs along the neck and provides attachment points for strong neck muscles. This allows the leatherback to turn its head from side to side, unlike other turtles which have to turn their whole body to look around.

The oil-saturated skin that covers the leatherback's carapace is also worth noting. This skin is thick and tough, providing some protection from predators and the elements. It is also flexible, allowing the leatherback to bend and twist more easily than other turtles. The oil that saturates the skin provides waterproofing and may also provide some nutrition to the turtle, as it is high in fatty acids.

Overall, the leatherback's unique shell and associated adaptations play an important role in its survival and success as a deep-diving marine turtle. They allow the leatherback to be more agile and flexible than other turtles, better able to withstand pressure and cold at depth, and better able to regulate its body temperature. These adaptations have helped the leatherback thrive in its niche as a deep-diving marine reptile.

They have existed in their current form for millions of years

The leatherback turtle, or *Dermochelys coriacea*, is the largest living turtle on the planet. It is also one of the largest reptiles in the world. This species has existed in its current form for millions of years, surviving the extinction of the dinosaurs and thriving until the last few decades when human interactions started to take a toll.

Leatherback turtles are the only turtle species that does not have a hard, bony carapace (shell). Instead, they have a tough, rubbery shell that is composed of cartilage-like tissues. Their smooth, leathery skin covers a flexible matrix of bone. This specialised, flexible carapace allows them to dive to great depths, unlike other species.

Leatherback turtles have a wide global distribution and are found in the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. They can also be found as far north as Alaska and Norway, and as far south as New Zealand and South Africa. They are mainly pelagic (open ocean) wanderers but migrate to tropical and subtropical coastal regions to mate and nest.

Leatherback turtles are able to maintain warm body temperatures in cold water due to some unique adaptations, including their large body size, a thick layer of fat, and changing their swimming activity. They also have a specialised blood vessel structure, called a countercurrent exchanger, that allows them to maintain a body temperature that is higher than the surrounding water. This provides them with a major advantage in extremely cold waters.

Leatherback turtles are considered vulnerable by the IUCN Red List and listed as endangered in the US. The Pacific population has declined by over 90% in the last two decades due to entanglement in commercial fishing gear, egg consumption, coastal development, and highly variable food availability.

They are expert divers

The leatherback sea turtle is an expert diver, capable of diving to depths of 4,000 feet (approximately 1,200 metres) or more. This is deeper than any other turtle and most marine mammals. They can also stay underwater for up to 85 minutes.

Leatherback turtles have a number of adaptations that allow them to maintain warm body temperatures in cold water. These adaptations include their large body size, a thick layer of fat, and changing their swimming activity. They also have a specialised blood vessel structure, known as a countercurrent exchanger, which helps them to maintain a body temperature that is higher than the surrounding water. This gives them a significant advantage in extremely cold waters.

Leatherback turtles are the only turtle species in the world that does not have a hard shell and scales. Instead, they have a tough, rubbery skin that covers a flexible matrix of bone. This flexible carapace allows them to dive to great depths, unlike other turtle species.

Leatherback turtles are the largest of all sea turtles, and one of the largest reptiles on Earth. They can grow to between 4 and 8 feet in length (1.2 to 2.4 metres) and weigh between 500 and 2,000 pounds (225 to 900 kilograms). The average adult leatherback measures between 5 and 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 metres) in length and weighs between 600 and 800 pounds (270 to 360 kilograms).

Leatherback turtles are considered vulnerable by the IUCN Red List and are listed as endangered in the US. Their scientific name is Dermochelys coriacea.

Frequently asked questions