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    Dermochelyidae – Leatherback sea turtle

    The largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to 2 meters (6.5 ft)

    The absence of scales, the presence of claws, and the horny shell of the leatherback make them easily recognizable. The leatherback’s shell, which is different from that of other sea turtles in that it resembles hard rubber, contracts during deep dives instead of breaking.

    Due to human activity, many leatherback turtles die young. Only one in a thousand leatherback hatchlings are thought to survive to adulthood.

    The lights from the houses constructed near the shoreline frequently confuse their hatchlings. They move toward the lights rather than toward the water. Floating plastic debris, which sea turtles often mistake for jellyfish, their primary food source, is another danger.