Common name : leatherback-named for its unique shellwhich is composed of a layer of thin,rubbery skin,strengthened by thousands of tiny bone plates that makes it look ''leathery''.

Scientific Name : Dermochelys coriacea

Description : head has a deeply notched upper jae with 2 cups.The leatherback is the only sea turtle that lacks a hard shell.its carapace is large,elongated and flexible with 7 distinct ridges running the length of the animale.Composed of a layer of a thin, tough, rubbery skin, strengthened by thousand of thiy bone plate, the carapace dose not have scales, except in hatchlings.All flippers are without claws.the carapace is dark grey or black with white or pale spots, while the plastron is whitish to black and marked by 5 ridges.Hatchlings have white blotches on carapace.

Size : 04 to 6 feet (130-183cm). The largest leatherback ever recorded was almost 10 feet (305 cm) form the tip of its brek to the tip of its tsil and weighed ni at 2019 pounds (916 kg ).

Weight: 660 to 1,100 pounds (300 – 500 kg).

Diet: Leatherbacks have delicate, scissor-like jaws. Their jaws would be damaged by anything other than a diet of soft-bodied animals, so they feed almost exclusively on jellyfish. It is remarkable that this large, active animal can survive on a diet of jellyfish, which are composed mostly of water and appear to be a poor source of nutrients.

Habitat: Primarily found in the open ocean, as far north as Alaska and as far south as the southern tip of Africa, though recent satellite tracking research indicates that leatherbacks feed in areas just offshore. Known to be active in water below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the only reptile known to remain active at such a low temperature.

Nesting: Nest at intervals of 2 to 3 years, though recent research has indicated they can nest every year. Nests between 4 to 7 times per season, with an average of 10 days between nestings. Lays an average of 80 fertilized eggs, the size of billiard balls, and 30 smaller, unfertilized eggs, in each nest. Eggs incubate for about 65 days. Unlike other species of sea turtles, leatherback females may change nesting beaches, though they tend to stay in the same region.

Range: Most widely distributed of all sea turtles. Found world wide with the largest north and south range of all the sea turtle species. With its streamlined body shape and the powerful front flippers, a leatherback can swim thousands of miles over open ocean and against fast currents.

Status: U.S. – Listed as Endangered (in danger of extinction within the foreseeable future) in 1970 under the U.S. Endangered Species Conservation Act, the predecessor to the U.S. Endangered Species Act, which was established in 1973. International – Listed as Vulnerable in 2013 (facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Threats to Survival: Greatest threat to leatherback sea turtles is from incidental take in commercial fisheries and marine pollution (such as balloons and plastic bags floating in the water, which are mistaken for jellyfish).

Population Estimate*: Between 34,000 and 36,000 nesting females.

Over the last 200 years, human activities have tipped the scales against the survival of these ancient mariners. Slaughtered for their eggs, meat, skin, and shells, sea turtles suffer from poaching and over-exploitation. They also face habitat destruction and accidental capture—known as bycatch—in fishing gear. Climate change has an impact on turtle nesting sites; it alters sand temperatures, which then affects the sex of hatchlings. Nearly all species of sea turtle are now classified as endangered, with three of the seven existing species being critically endangered.

WWF is committed to stopping the decline of sea turtles and works for the recovery of the species. We work to secure environments in which both turtles and the people that depend upon them can survive.

So kindly do these things to save the habitat of sea turtles.