The Leatherback Turtle is the largest marine turtle in the world and is one of five marine turtles that visit our coastal waters. It is such a regular visitor that it is considered to be native. In summer it may be seen off the south-west coast of England because it goes looking for Jellyfish. It is also a very unusual reptile because it can create its own body heat so that it can exist in cold water.

The Leatherback Turtle has its name because it has a black, leathery shell-looking back. Its shell-like back is soft and consists of boney plates which are buried partly in its dark black skin. The plates are quite flexible and can stand water pressure which allows this turtle to dive quite deep into the water. The Leatherback Turtle can dive up to depths of a thousand metres and can hold its breath for up to thirty minutes. It can be nearly two metres in length and can weigh between five hundred to five hundred and fifty kilogrammes.

Leatherback Turtles hardly eat anything else but Jellyfish. Unfortunately they sometimes mistake sea litter such as plastic bags and balloons for Jellyfish and if they eat this litter, they can die of starvation because their guts get blocked.