The largest turtle in the world - Leatherback sea turtle

4 Nov 2019

The largest turtle in the world – Leatherback sea turtle

The largest turtle in the world – Leatherback sea turtleDid you know that the largest turtle in the world does not have a bony shell?

Called the leatherback sea turtle (or the lute turtle or leathery turtle), this turtle is the fourth-heaviest modern reptile behind three crocodile species.
 	Leatherback turtles are named for their shell, which is leather-like rather than hard, like other turtles.

The leatherback sea turtle has a large, teardrop-shaped body and a large pair of front flippers, which helps it to swim fast in the water. They are, in fact, the fastest-moving reptiles in the water.
 	They mostly live on jellyfish. This makes plastic pollution in the ocean very dangerous for them as they can mistake plastic for jellyfish.
 	The largest verified leatherback turtle specimen ever found was 6.99 ft in length! They can weigh from 250 to 700 kg.

Although they can be found widely in many oceans, their numbers have seriously declined and are classified as a 'vulnerable' species.

Have you ever seen a turtle? Tell us about it.

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Did you know that the largest turtle in the world does not have a bony shell? Called the leatherback sea turtle (or the lute turtle […]

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