Leatherback Sea Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

The largest sea turtle in the world, the Leatherback is an extraordinary ocean traveler—
built for long-distance migration and life in the open sea.

Meet the Leatherback Sea Turtle

Unlike other sea turtles, the Leatherback does not have a hard shell. Its streamlined body is covered by tough, rubbery skin with seven distinctive ridges running along its back.

Powerful front flippers carry Leatherbacks across enormous stretches of ocean in search of jellyfish and other soft-bodied prey. Some travel more than 10,000 miles a year between feeding and nesting grounds.

Photo: Claudia Lombard/USFWS

The Journey Continues

Female Leatherback Sea Turtles return to tropical and subtropical beaches to nest, sometimes after traveling thousands of miles across the open ocean.

After nesting, they return to sea and resume their remarkable migrations. About two months later, hatchlings emerge from the sand and begin an extraordinary ocean journey of their own. 

Photo: Richard Ruggerio / U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Built for the Journey

  • Ocean Giants

    Leatherbacks are the largest sea turtles in the world, with adults commonly reaching five to six feet in length.

  • Deep Divers

    Powerful swimmers, Leatherbacks can dive to depths approaching 4,000 feet as they travel through the open ocean.

  • Jellyfish Specialists

    Their jaws and specialized mouths are adapted for feeding on soft-bodied prey such as jellyfish and salps.

A Future Worth Protecting

Leatherback Sea Turtles face threats from accidental capture in fishing gear, marine debris, loss of nesting habitat, vessel strikes and changing ocean conditions. Protecting nesting beaches and reducing threats along their vast migration routes are critical to their recovery.

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