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Leatherback Turtle
VULNERABLE
14x11''
- SOLD -
The leatherback sea turtle, sometimes called the lute or leathery turtle (or simply the luth), is the largest of all living turtles and (reaching weights over 2,000 pounds) is the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile. Its the oldest of all sea turtle species and has been around for more than 150 million years. It is the only living species in the genus Dermochelys and family Dermochelyidae. It can easily be differentiated from other modern sea turtles by its lack of a bony shell; instead, its carapace is covered by oily flesh and flexible, leather-like skin, for which it is named. Their carapace has seven ridges along its length and tapers to a blunt point. Their front flippers are proportionally longer than in other sea turtles and their back flippers are paddle-shaped. Both their rigid carapace and their large flippers make the leatherback uniquely equipped for long distance foraging migrations. Leatherbacks spend almost all of their time in the ocean with females only coming to shore to lay eggs. For that reason, from the time they hatch and enter the surf, males will never be out of the water again and are therefore more difficult to study than females.
Though as a whole, leatherback turtles conservation status is Vulnerable, over half of the leatherback subpopulations are listed as Critically Endangered. They survived the extinction of the dinosaurs and thrived until the last several decades when human interactions have taken a major toll. With the spread of human development around the globe, sea turtle numbers have decreased by over 90% percent. Now these ancient reptiles confront new threats, like pollution, industrial fishing, climate change, and large-scale coastal development. Leatherbacks are particularly vulnerable to bycatch (entanglement and/or hooking) in fishing gear. Gear modification and best practices have been implemented in many fisheries that have reduced incidental bycatch of leatherbacks, but globally, impacts from several fishing operations have not been resolved. Other predominant threats to leatherback sea turtles occur on nesting beaches. Coastal development has reduced the area where they can successfully nest and the nests that are created are extremely vulnerable to being disturbed or destroyed. Light pollution is also a serious threat to sea turtle hatchlings which have a strong attraction to light. Human-generated light from streetlights and buildings causes hatchlings to become disoriented, crawling toward the light and away from the beach. Hatchlings are attracted to light because the lightest area on a natural beach is the horizon over the ocean, the darkest area is the dunes or forest. On Florida's Atlantic coast, some beaches with high turtle nesting density have lost thousands of hatchlings due to artificial light. Pollution, both chemical and physical, can also be fatal. Many turtles die from malabsorption and intestinal blockage following the ingestion of balloons and plastic bags which resemble their jellyfish prey.
Due to the long range migratory movements of sea turtles between nesting beaches and foraging areas, long-term international cooperation is essential for recovery and stability of nesting populations. There are nest protection efforts and beach habitat protections underway for many nesting areas, and efforts have been undertaken to reduce leatherback mortality associated with the longline fishery. Many coastal counties and communities have developed lighting ordinances to reduce hatchling disorientations. Some nesting beaches have been and continue to be acquired for long-term protection.
Earthwatch has delivered a unique citizen science model to raise funds and recruit individuals, students, teachers and corporate fellows to participate in critical field research to understand nature's response to accelerating global change. In the early 1990s, the first Earthwatch team arrived in Playa Grande to join what is now known as the Costa Rican Sea Turtles expedition—one of Earthwatch’s longest-running research projects. The initial data collected by these research teams were used to convince the Costa Rican government to turn Playa Grande into a national park (Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas), thereby establishing federal protections for the sea turtle nesting site and many of the other nearby habitats. Earthwatch's mission statement is "to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment.”
There are several expedition and research opportunities to directly get involved in helping leatherback populations recover but there are also other ways to locally help ensure the survival of his ancient species. By collectively reducing ocean trash and protecting sea turtle habitats, we can really make a positive impact on leatherbacks livelihood. Lost or discarded fish line kills hundreds of sea turtles and other animals every year, so responsibly disposing of fishing line is key. When visiting the beach be mindful that any trash in the environment can end up in the ocean and harm marine life. Reducing plastic use keeps beaches and oceans clean, so try to use reusable water bottles and shopping bags whenever possible. Refrain from releasing balloons, as well, they can easily end up in the ocean where sea turtles can mistake them for prey like jellyfish or become entangled in the strings. Beaches are paramount for healthy sea turtle populations since females come to the shore to deposit their eggs into nests, so keeping nesting beaches dark and safe at night is extremely important. Turn off, shield, or redirect lights visible from the beach, lights disorient hatchlings and discourage nesting females from coming onto beaches to lay their eggs. After visiting the beach, make sure to remove recreational beach equipment (like chairs and umbrellas) so sea turtles are not entrapped or turned away. Also, filling in holes and knocking down sandcastles before leaving, can help create obstacle free beaches for nesting turtles or emerging hatchlings.
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