Feeeeeling sooo much better thank God. Anyways, time to keep going with aquatic week! :D Aquatic week species #5: Leatherback Sea Turtle Leatherbacks are the biggest turtles on Earth!! They can weigh more than a ton! And they’re long too, they can measure out at least 6 feet. And they are the fourth largest reptile. These turtles are also known as the lute turtle. These turtles live globally, and mostly in subtropic or tropical, warm waters you will most likely see them, but they range all the way to the Arctic Circle!! They are primarily found in open ocean. Leatherbacks follow their jellyfish prey throughout the day, resulting that in the day they prefer deeper waters and in the night more shallow (when the jellyfish rise up in the water column). This hunting strategy often puts these turtles in very frigid waters. Unlike other species of sea turtles, who have hard shells, the leatherback has of course, a leathery feeling back. It has a rubbery feel to it, and is often black with yellow or white speckles scattered around. They also can dive much deeper than any other sea turtle. Leatherbacks also have to take air from the surface, but have been known to hold their breath as long as 35 minutes! And when the female is pregnant, she comes ashore , digs a small hole and lays up to 100 eggs, covers it up with sand and small rocks and then leaves. She does not protect her nest, so the babies are on their own. And as soon as the eggs hatch, which takes about 2 to 3 months they find their way out of the sand and scurry back to the water. And an interesting fact, males never leave the water once they enter it. So the breeding takes place in the sea. The leatherbacks are one of the more endangered species on Earth, for several reasons of human activity. They are often caught in the fishing nets, and get stuck underwater and drown. Also the eggs are being illegally collected by humans who like to eat them. And the nests are also being destroyed when building and creating new things for human activity. And also pollution affects them daily, and not just them, all the creatures of the sea. Think about that next time you throw your soda can into the water to watch it float out to sea. They’re absolutely breathtaking, and beautiful creatures. Please help conserve their population! :)

Feeeeeling sooo much better thank God. Anyways, time to keep going with aquatic week! :D

Aquatic week species #5: Leatherback Sea Turtle

Leatherbacks are the biggest turtles on Earth!! They can weigh more than a ton! And they’re long too, they can measure out at least 6 feet. And they are the fourth largest reptile. These turtles are also known as the lute turtle. These turtles live globally, and mostly in subtropic or tropical, warm waters you will most likely see them, but they range all the way to the Arctic Circle!! They are primarily found in open ocean. Leatherbacks follow their jellyfish prey throughout the day, resulting that in the day they prefer deeper waters and in the night more shallow (when the jellyfish rise up in the water column). This hunting strategy often puts these turtles in very frigid waters. Unlike other species of sea turtles, who have hard shells, the leatherback has of course, a leathery feeling back. It has a rubbery feel to it, and is often black with yellow or white speckles scattered around. They also can dive much deeper than any other sea turtle. Leatherbacks also have to take air from the surface, but have been known to hold their breath as long as 35 minutes! And when the female is pregnant, she comes ashore , digs a small hole and lays up to 100 eggs, covers it up with sand and small rocks and then leaves. She does not protect her nest, so the babies are on their own. And as soon as the eggs hatch, which takes about 2 to 3 months they find their way out of the sand and scurry back to the water. And an interesting fact, males never leave the water once they enter it. So the breeding takes place in the sea. The leatherbacks are one of the more endangered species on Earth, for several reasons of human activity. They are often caught in the fishing nets, and get stuck underwater and drown. Also the eggs are being illegally collected by humans who like to eat them. And the nests are also being destroyed when building and creating new things for human activity. And also pollution affects them daily, and not just them, all the creatures of the sea. Think about that next time you throw your soda can into the water to watch it float out to sea. They’re absolutely breathtaking, and beautiful creatures. Please help conserve their population! :)