Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).
Image: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- VU · Vulnerable
- Animal group
- Reptiles & Amphibians
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The leatherback is the largest sea turtle and the only one without a hard shell, instead having a leathery, ridged carapace. It is assessed as Vulnerable globally.
It makes some of the longest migrations of any reptile and feeds largely on jellyfish.
Range & habitat
The most wide-ranging sea turtle, found across tropical and temperate oceans worldwide.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Fisheries bycatch
- Egg collection and loss of nesting beaches
- Plastic ingestion and vessel strikes
Why it matters
By feeding on jellyfish across ocean basins, leatherbacks fill a role in marine food webs that few other reptiles do.
Globally Vulnerable, but several regional sub-populations are assessed as Critically Endangered.
Gallery
A leatherback turtle (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service).
Image: Rabon David, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Leatherback Turtle
- IUCN Red List — look up Leatherback Turtle (authoritative status)
- NOAA Fisheries
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the leatherback only Vulnerable globally?
What do leatherback turtles eat?
Last updated: