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Which Is the Largest Turtle in the World?

animalsoceanrecords

Quick Answer

The leatherback sea turtle is the largest turtle, with shells up to about 1.8 metres long and weights often exceeding 500 kilograms.

The Full Story

The leatherback is the only living sea turtle without a hard, bony shell; its back is covered with tough, leathery skin. Adults usually weigh between about 250 and 700 kilograms, and a male that washed ashore in Wales in 1988 weighed 916 kilograms. Leatherbacks can dive deeper than 1,200 metres and migrate more than 10,000 kilometres across oceans. They feed almost entirely on jellyfish. Their large size helps them stay warmer than the surrounding water, allowing them to survive in cold seas.

Key Facts

1.Leatherbacks have backward-pointing spines in their throats to trap slippery jellyfish.
2.Leatherbacks range farther north and south than any other reptile.
3.Females return to beaches to lay eggs, often near where they hatched.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"The giant turtle that dives over a kilometre deep to hunt jellyfish."

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