By Scott Kennedy
Original Oil on Canvas
24 x 36 inches
COMMON NAME: Leatherback Sea Turtle
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Dermochelys coriacea
TYPE: Reptiles
DIET: Carnivores
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 45 years
SIZE: Up to 7 ft
WEIGHT: Up to 2,000 lbs
DID YOU KNOW:
Threats to Survival: It is estimated that only about one in a thousand leatherback hatchlings survive to adulthood. Eggs are often taken by humans from nests to be consumed for subsistence or as aphrodisiacs. Many leatherbacks fall victim to fishing lines and nets, or are struck by boats. Leatherbacks also can die if they ingest floating plastic debris mistaken for their favorite food: jellyfish. Some individuals have been found to have almost 11 pounds (5 kilograms) of plastic in their stomachs.
STATUS: Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
