About Leatherback Sea Turtles
Leatherback Sea Turtles are turtles with large leathery shells that are found mostly in tropical oceans. They can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. Adults can travel as far north as Canada and Norway, and as far south as New Zealand and South America. Leatherbacks can be between 6 - 7.2 feet long, and can weigh about 550 - 1,500 pounds in adulthood. They normally eat jellyfish, sea urchins, squid, crustaceans, tunicates, fish, algae, and seaweed. The average lifespan of a Leatherback turtle is 40 - 45 years, but sadly, many Leatherbacks face an early end, mostly because of humans. The global population was 15,000 in 1982, but by 1996, the population was only about 3,000 - 4,000 Leatherbacks. The population has decreased since then. In some areas in the Pacific, the population has disappeared entirely. |
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