The Life Cycle of the Leatherback Turtle

Leatherback Turtles are the largest sea turtles in the world and can grow up to five to six feet in length. They are called leatherbacks because they lack scales and a hard shell, but instead have a bony leather-like backplate.

Leatherbacks mate, and females lay eggs in small holes in the beaches where they were born. In these small holes, baby turtles hatch and crawl to the nearby ocean waters.

These small baby turtles will swim around and look for food in the shape of jellyfish, tunicates and sea squirts. They will eat these and grow large and strong like their parents.

After reaching the age of around twenty, these turtles mate, starting the life cycle all over again.