2. Leatherback Sea Turtle Adria Tuck Lettisha Nieves Robyn Hyder Marine Biology per. 5 1-15-99 Group Project

3. The Leatherback Sea Turtle

4. Where the Leatherback Lives nTnTnTnThe most common place to find the Leatherback is in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. nAnAnAnAt birth they are born on land, but will spend most of their life in the water. nTnTnTnThe Leatherback can also be found in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

5. How the Leatherback Lives n The Leatherback is carnivorous. n The Leatherback usually stays in one area most of the day, unless on the prowl for food. n A short while after the Leatherback is born, they follow the moonlight towards the water. n The males live almost their entire life in the water, but the females go to shore to lay their eggs.

6. What the Leatherback Eats n The Leatherback eats jellyfish, crustaceans, and cuttlefishes. n The Leatherback’s main diet is jellyfish, and this is unfortunately why so many die. n The Leatherback often mistakes discarded plastic items, such as monofilament and Styrofoam for prey. When they swallow the debris they suffocate. n It eats twice its body weight daily.

7. The Leatherback’s Size n The Leatherback is the largest turtle known. n When the Leatherback is full grown, it usually reaches 6 feet, and weighs no less than 1420 lbs. n When the Leatherback is first born they are about the size of a fist.

8. The Leatherback’s Length of Life n The Leatherback can live for about 100 years and sometimes longer. n When the Leatherback is born, about half of them die because of their lack of ability of finding the water. n Seagulls also swoop down and pick up helpless baby turtles who haven’t made it to the water by daylight.

9. How the Leatherback Reproduces n The Leatherback female comes to shore to make a hole and lay her eggs. After she is finished laying her eggs, she buries them and heads off into the water again. n The Leatherback reproduces sexually. When she finds her mate, he fertilizes her eggs then she makes her way to the shore.

10. Are the Leatherback’s Endangered? nYnYnYnYes, the Leatherback sea turtle is currently listed as endangered. nHnHnHnHaving never been a numerous species to begin with, this sea turtle is especially vulnerable to threats. nOnOnOnOne large threat to Leatherback’s are the shrimp-trawling fleets of the Caribbean and the Pacific. nAnAnAnAnother threat is pollution in the water.

11. Bibliography n Encyclopedia Americana Vol.17 pg. 167 Leatherback,Leathery Trunkback Turtle. n Http://otn.uoregon.edu/holmans/Leather Back/turtlefrntpge n Alderton, David. Turtles & Tortoises of the World. Pgs. 24, 32, 36, 45, 47, 74, 89, 94, and 121-122.

12. The End Thank you to Mrs. Chapman for her wonderful work and for teaching us about the different marine animals there are.