Other Names

• Leathery Turtle

General Description

Body dark to black above and white underneath. Shell pointed at rear and covered by leathery skin. Seven longitudinal narrow ridges along shell. Front flippers very long. Young hatchlings blue-black with white edges. Up to 3 m long.

Biology

These turtles can dive to depths over 1000 m, weigh up to 900 kg, and are the world's most widespread species of reptile. Females nest only on tropical beaches, coming to shore to lay about 80 eggs in the sand while males remain at sea. They are specialist feeders, eating only jellyfish and other drifting gelatinous invertebrates, a diet that is thought to be one of the reasons for their long distance migration into Victorian waters away from their usually tropical breeding grounds.

Habitat

Open oceans and coasts.

Open water

Distribution guide

Worldwide in tropical and temperate waters. Mainly western and eastern Australia. Occasional visitor to Victorian coastal waters and Port Phillip.

Species Group

Reptiles › Turtles

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

Surface Midwater

Max Size

3 m

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Identify

• Turtles

Conservation Status

• CITES : Trade restrictions (Appendix I)
• DSE Advisory List : Critically Endangered
• EPBC Act 1999 : Endangered
• IUCN Red List : Critically Endangered