Leatherback Sea Turtle

Also known as Lute Turtle, Leathery Turtle, Luth

Leatherback sea turtles navigate thousands of miles across open ocean basins, relying on specialized countercurrent heat exchangers and a thick layer of fat to forage in subpolar waters colder than any other reptile can tolerate. Backward-pointing esophageal spines line their throats, trapping slick gelatinous jellyfish while allowing seawater to drain out before swallowing. Females return every few years to sandy tropical beaches where they lay clutches under cover of darkness, leaving distinct tractor-like track patterns across the dunes.