Unfortunately, leatherback sea turtles are so large that they frequently cannot fit through the escape hatch in the net, become entangled, and drown. If you spot a leatherback turtle at sea, maintain a distance of 100m. What's more, it is also the deepest-diving reptile in the world. Leatherback sea turtles live off the coast of Australia, British Columbia, and other places. Leatherback sea turtles exist in the tropical and subtropical waters, and some of the temperate waters, of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The shell is black, often speckled with white or yellow spots. Scientists tracked a leatherback turtle that swam from Jen Womom beach of Tambrauw regency in West Papua province of Indonesia to the U.S. in a 20,000 km (12,000 mi) foraging journey over a period of 647 days. The largest of all sea turtles, and one of the largest reptiles on earth, the leatherback turtle ranges in size from 4-8 feet in length (1.2 - 2.4 meters) and weighs between 500-2,000 pounds (225 - 900 kg). Found world wide with the largest north and south range of all the sea turtle species. It is now considered to be vulnerable. Let's find out more about leatherbacks in Leatherback Sea Turtle Facts for Kids! Leatherbacks have the widest global distribution of all reptile species, and possibly of any vertebrate. Leatherback Sea Turtle Distribution In reptiles, the leatherbacks are the most widely distributed species of turtles. Many of the nesting leatherback populations in the Pacific have declined by more than 80%. Populations of more than 1,000 leatherback sea turtles nest in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, and Western Pacific. Eggs incubate for about 65 days. They have four broad flippers, a triangular head and a barrel-shaped body covered by a large, black, speckled shell (or carapace). Leatherback sea turtles exist in the tropical and subtropical waters, and some of the temperate waters, of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. A female leatherback turtle returns to the beach where she was born just to give birth. Though the leatherback turtle is vulnerable to extinction, its numbers are actually in better shape than most other sea turtles, which are endangered or worse. Leatherback sea turtles live in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as South China Sea. Unlike other species of sea turtles, which have hard shells, the leatherback's shell is leathery; it feels almost rubbery. Leatherback sea turtles prefer pelagic habitats, which are wide spans of open ocean far from shore. But unlike other species of sea turtles, such as the loggerhead and green sea turtle, the leatherback’s shell isn’t hard. Sea turtles don't come ashore on UK beaches like they do on their tropical nesting beaches, so … Where do leatherback sea turtles live? In the United States, about 40 leatherbacks nest annually on beaches in Florida. The shell … Range: Most widely distributed of all sea turtles. The range of these turtles extend far toward Alaska, Norway and even up to the Arctic Circle to the north, while they are found as far south as Cape Agulhas, which is the southern tip of Africa. Leatherbacks usually go back to the beach of their birth to lay their eggs but they could also choose beaches in the general area as their birth beach. Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are … They have a teardrop shaped body with powerful front flippers that help them move through the water with … Coastal development has reduced the area where they can successfully nest, dogs and other animals often destroy their nests, and people harvest their …