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Leatherback sea turtle

The leatherback sea turtle is a beautiful, but endangered type of sea turtle that many people have grown to know and love. They are one of the larger species of sea turtle; often times growing up to an astonishing seven feet and weighing in at over two thousand pounds.

Unlike other sea turtles, the leatherback sea turtle has a soft shell that is extremely flexible. The texture of its shell (or carapace) is almost leathery, thus giving this beautiful turtle its name. It is this leathery shell and the ridges along its spine, that give the leatherback sea turtle the ability to dive into waters as great as 4,200 feet below the surface and stay under for up to eighty minutes or so.

These turtles are carnivores; enjoying the bounty that the sea provides it with. No wonder these beautiful animals have exceeded the longevity of many species, by having its roots traced back over one hundred million years ago.

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