Leatherback Sea Turtle Facts for Kids – The Largest Living Turtle

Scientific Name and Classification

• Common Name: Leatherback sea turtle
• Scientific Name: Dermochelys coriacea
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Reptilia
• Order: Testudines
• Family: Dermochelyidae
• Genus: Dermochelys
• Species: D. coriacea

🐢 Introduction

The leatherback sea turtle is the largest turtle in the world and the only one without a hard, bony shell. It is known for its long migrations and ability to dive to great depths.

🦎 Appearance

Leatherbacks have a dark, leathery skin with white spots and ridges running the length of their bodies. They can grow up to 7 feet (2 meters) long and weigh over 2,000 pounds (900 kg).

🌍 Habitat

They live in oceans around the world, from the tropics to the cold waters near the Arctic and Antarctic. They nest on sandy beaches.

🍽 Diet

Leatherbacks eat mainly jellyfish, helping keep jellyfish populations in check. Their soft, scissor-like jaws are perfect for this diet.

🔄 Life Cycle

Females lay 50–100 eggs in sandy nests. Hatchlings emerge after about two months and head straight to the sea. Adults can live over 45 years.

🐾 Behavior and Social Structure

Leatherbacks are solitary and spend most of their lives at sea. They are strong swimmers and can dive deeper than 4,000 feet (1,200 meters).

🛡 Conservation Status

Listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, leatherbacks face threats from fishing nets, plastic pollution, and loss of nesting beaches.

🎭 Cultural Significance

In some coastal communities, leatherbacks are a symbol of endurance and ocean life, though hunting them is now illegal in many places.

✨ Fun Facts

• They are the fastest swimming sea turtles.
• Can survive in colder waters than any other sea turtle.
• Have existed for over 100 million years.
• Their migrations can be over 10,000 miles long.

📌 Key Takeaways

• Largest turtle in the world.
• Leathery shell instead of a hard one.
• Feeds mostly on jellyfish.
• Can dive extremely deep.
• Vulnerable due to human activity.

🐾 Kid-Friendly Summary

Leatherback sea turtles are huge turtles with soft shells. They travel far across the oceans and love to eat jellyfish. They are in danger and need our help.

📚 Vocabulary Words

• Leathery – Having a tough, flexible texture like leather.
• Migration – A long journey animals make to find food or reproduce.
• Vulnerable – At risk of harm or extinction.
• Solitary – Living alone, not in groups.
• Nesting beach – A sandy shore where sea turtles lay eggs.
• IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature, which ranks species’ risk levels.
• Plastic pollution – Harm caused by waste plastic in the environment.
• Hatchling – A young turtle that has just come out of its egg.

🧠 Interactive Quiz: Test Your Leatherback Sea Turtle Knowledge

1. What makes leatherback sea turtles different from other turtles?
   • A. They are smaller
   • B. They have no shell
   • C. They have a leathery shell
   • D. They live in rivers
2. What is their main food?
   • A. Seaweed
   • B. Jellyfish
   • C. Fish
   • D. Shrimp
3. True or False: Leatherbacks can dive deeper than 4,000 feet.
   • True
   • False
4. How far can they migrate?
   • A. 100 miles
   • B. 500 miles
   • C. 2,000 miles
   • D. Over 10,000 miles
5. What is one major threat to leatherback turtles?
   • A. Too much food
   • B. Cold water
   • C. Fishing nets and plastic
   • D. High waves