Is the Leatherback Turtle Endangered?
The Leatherback Sea Turtle, Sometimes Called the Lute Turtle or Leathery Turtle or Simply the Luth, Is the Largest of All Living Turtles and the Heaviest...
The leatherback sea turtle, sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to 2 metres and weights of 600 kg. It is the only living species in the genus Dermochelys and family Dermochelyidae.
Why is the leatherback turtle endangered?
Pacific Leatherback Turtle
The Pacific leatherback is one of NOAA Fisheries' Species in the Spotlight. ... Extensive turtle and egg harvest and bycatch in fishing gear are the primary causes of these declines. Leatherbacks are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
How many leatherback turtles are left?
In 1980 there were over 115,000 adult female leatherbacks worldwide. Now there are less than 25,000 [6].
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