Appearance and lifestyle:
Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are the only turtle species without a hard carapace. They can grow up to 750 kg and can live for over 100 years. Not only are leatherbacks the fastest-moving turtles in the world, but they are also the deepest-diving, reaching depths of 1.5 km.
Habitat:
Nest's in KwaZulu Natal.
Diet:
Leatherbacks feed solely on jellyfish.
Threats:
They are vulnerable and declining in number, and face threats such as plastic pollution, poaching, climate change.
Leatherback turtles are the largest sea turtles in the world.
Leatherback turtles can stay underwater for up to 85 minutes.
Leatherback turtles are the only remaining members of the turtle family that can trace their evolutionary roots back more than 100 million years.