Leatherback Sea Turtles

Leatherback sea turtles are found in high numbers along the eastern Pacific which includes the beautiful, tropical Central American country, Costa Rica.The leatherback turtle, also known as Dermochelys coriacea or lute turtle, is the largest of all existing turtles, and is the fourth largest reptile, succeeded by three crocodiles.The leatherback sea turtles are the only extant species of Dermochelys coriacea which in turn is the only living genus of the family Dermochelyidae. The leatherback turtles are easily distinguishable from other modern turtles due to absence of the bony shells. Their carapaces, the upper hard shell, are covered by a layer of skin and oily flesh. Leatherback turtles are known to have the most hydrodynamic body design. The body has a teardrop shape with a wide pair of front flippers that take the turtles through the water. The forelimbs are flattened and are meant for deep ocean swims. There are no claws on the flippers. The flippers of leatherback sea turtles are larger in size relative to their bodies. In larger turtles, they can grow as long as 8.9 feet! The skin on the carapace is dense and leather-like, imbedded with small osteoderms. From the anterior to the posterior lines of the back, seven ridges run across the turtle’s back. The whole of the dorsal surface is dark grey to black in color, punctuated with white spots, and is devoid of any keratin. Leatherback turtles do not have teeth, but instead have points on the upper lip with spines in the throats that help in deglutition. The average length of an adult’s carapace is 1 to 1.75 meters, total body length is 1.83 to 2.2 meters and weight ranges from 250 to 700 kg. The species of dermochelys coriacea display certain anatomical features that are connected with life in frigid conditions. The leatherback sea turtle has a thick layer of adipose tissue, swimming muscles that are substantive of the temperature of water, counter-current heat exchange mechanism in trachea and between front flippers and the body. They have a unique trait of maintaining high body temperatures by a method of endothermy, that is, generation of heat metabolically. The leatherback turtles are known to be the fastest of all reptiles and the deepest swimming sea creatures; records show that dives to depths as great as 4,200 feet have been made. The time period of dives is between 3 to 8 minutes. The leatherback sea turtles can swim to the speed of 0.5 to 2.8 meters per second. Leatherback sea turtles are usually found in the open ocean. Studies have shown that they prefer deep waters in the day and shallow waters during the night-time. The turtles tend to follow their prey throughout the day. They primarily feed on jellyfish. One of the leading causes of their endangered status are the floating plastic bags that are often mistaken for jellyfish. The ingestion of these plastic bags are lethal to the health of turtles as they obstruct the digestive tracts even in small quantities. Although they live in deeper parts, they come to shores during nesting seasons. Their lifespan ranges from 30 to 50 years.

Leatherback Sea Turtles in Pacific Coast of Costa Rica

With their large flippers and shiny skins, the huge reptiles are a popular species. On the eastern Pacific coast of Costa Rica, the leatherback turtles are present in high numbers along with other hundreds of wondrous species. Corcovado National Park, a huge wonderland in Osa Peninsula, is a bio-diverse reservatory presenting with all sorts of wildlife. Leatherback sea turtles migrate to the south-eastern part, where the park is located, during the nesting season. Playa Grande, a sweeping white-sand beach in northern Tamarindo, has one of the largest populations of leatherback sea turtles. Playa Dominical on the southern pacific and the nearby town of Uvita has a number of turtles like green turtles, Olive Ridley turtles and leatherback turtles. Cano Island Biological Reserve has countless types of species that include turtles. Drake Bay is present o the northern side of osa Peninsula, which apart from its sublime scenery, also serves as a home to sea turtles. Other sites on the pacific coast include Nicoya Peninsula, Cocos Island, Tortuga Island and Tambor Bay. Leatherback sea turtles are endangered species and sadly their numbers have largely declined.

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References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leatherback_sea_turtle

http://www.anywherecostarica.com/flora-fauna/reptile/leatherback-turtle