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The leatherback is the largest sea turtle. Individuals have attained a shell length of 1.85 meters (6 feet) and weights of 637 kilograms (1,400 pounds). Unlike other species of sea turtle, the leatherback does not have scales. Instead, it is covered with firm, rubbery skin with several longitudinal ridges or keels. Leatherback sea turtles are a highly migratory species that nests in the tropics and ranges as far north as Canada and the northern Pacific ocean. The leatherback sea turtle feeds primarily on jellyfish. The species faces significant threats from incidental take in commercial fisheries and marine pollution, as well as from the harvest of eggs and flesh.

ESA Status: Endangered

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Hawksbill Sea Turtle | Green Sea Turtle
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