Real animals are more bizarre than the most incredible fantasies and fascinate us no less than the illustrations of a medieval bestiary. This thought prompted Caspar Henderson to write a book full of tenderness and concern about our planet. The more we study nature, the more amazing discoveries we make. Scientists discovered the yeti crab living in almost boiling water only in 2005. The axolotl, capable of regenerating not only lost limbs, but also some internal organs, inspires hope among transplantologists. Mysterious sponges can tell a lot about the origins of animals and humans. The king of nature is given a separate chapter, although in fact the entire book is dedicated to him, because the author examines the animals themselves through the prism of their similarities and dissimilarities to humans, finding out how evolution and diversity of forms help interpret human nature.

I remember my late friend, architect and naval engineer Wolf Hilbertz, who believed that humanity could achieve its goals without destroying our planet, told me a story. Wolf dreamed of building an “ecotopia” in the remote shallow waters of the Indian Ocean, an artificial island made from minerals produced by electrolysis using wave energy and sunlight. He told me about a preliminary expedition he organized to the proposed construction site with his colleague, biologist Tom Goreau:

We witnessed a unique meteorological phenomenon. Imagine: the surface of the sea is smoother than a mirror, a cloudless night sky. The reflection of the stars in the water is so bright that it seemed like there was a second sky beneath us. The horizon shifted and all the gods seemed to be enjoying the moment. This happens once in a lifetime. If anything, Tom can explain everything from a scientific point of view.

Watching how little turtles run as fast as they can towards the dark water, where most of them will be eaten by other animals even before they grow as big as a child’s fist, and of the survivors, most of them will end up in the “meat grinder” of human civilization, we still felt that Schopenhauer's view of this world as a place of endless pain and suffering was erroneous. Some of these turtles may still survive and come back here and crawl through the sand again - only now their bodies will be 2000 times heavier. As the ardent atheist Albert Camus argued, Sisyphus should be imagined as happy. And that night it seemed to us that somewhere in the distant Universe the gods were smiling.

The leatherback turtle (lat. Dermochelys coriacea) is the only representative of the family Dermochelidae from the suborder Cryptodira. It amazes with its size and is the absolute record holder among all related species.

In 2012, a real giant measuring 256 cm long and weighing 916 kg was caught off the coast of Wales.

Reasons for population decline

In Asia, its eggs are considered not only very tasty, but also healing, curing all sorts of chronic ailments. The meat is also edible and has long been used in Eastern medicine to treat liver diseases.

Many reptiles die after becoming entangled in fishing nets or poisoned by toxic chemicals released into ocean waters. The development of tourism and the development of beaches in their breeding grounds in recent years has led to a significant reduction in their population.

Pinniped reptiles react painfully to lighting by powerful spotlights, lose their minds and begin to wander aimlessly through the sand until completely exhausted.

For some of them, such walks end in death. Leatherback turtles are protected as an endangered species. In many countries, not only their nests are protected, but some of the offspring are raised in special incubators.

Spreading

This species is found in the waters of all seas and oceans with the exception of the cold waters of Antarctica and the Arctic. It is attracted to tropical and subtropical climates, but due to its thick layer of fat and dark coloration it can thrive even at an ambient temperature of about 12°C.

A dense network of blood vessels in the front flippers ensures rapid heating of blood in the near-surface capillaries and reliably protects against hypothermia.

In search of prey, every spring sea giants leave the tropics for temperate latitudes, covering a distance of up to 5,000 km, and return to warmer climes in the fall.

Behavior

Leatherback turtles prefer to lead a solitary lifestyle. In the open sea, sometimes there are groups of up to several dozen individuals feeding in places with large concentrations of jellyfish.

They usually stay close to the surface, periodically diving to a depth of up to 60 m and remaining under water for up to five minutes. If necessary, they can dive up to 1000 m.

Giants swim, energetically paddling with large front flippers and steering with widely spaced rear flippers. Deep dives most often occur at dawn and in the first half of the day. The rest of the time they remain in the surface layers.

Nutrition

Leatherback turtles feed on both plant and animal foods. The basis of their diet is all kinds of crustaceans, mollusks and fish. Soft-bodied jellyfish are their favorite delicacy. During the course of a day, one animal eats about fifty large jellyfish, as well as a lot of other marine life, absorbing approximately 8 kg of protein and 200 liters of liquid.

The poison does not affect them, and excess salt is eliminated with the help of special glands located behind the eyeballs and producing copious mucus, which additionally washes the eyes.

Reproduction

During the mating season, lonely wanderers manage to find their mate in the vast expanses of the ocean. The meeting is short-term, after which the partners leave each other forever. The fertilized female sets off on a long journey to the very piece of land where she herself was once born.

In the southern hemisphere, laying occurs from November to mid-February, and in the northern hemisphere from March to June. In one season, the female manages to lay eggs up to 12 times in batches of up to 150 eggs. She crawls out onto the sandy shore at night in the dim light of the moon and, having found a suitable place, digs a hole 80-100 cm deep within an hour. At its bottom she builds a wide brood chamber.

Having completed the construction work, the worker hangs one hind limb into the hole and, under its cover, proceeds directly to laying eggs. They are round and about 50 mm in diameter. In the first ten minutes, fertilized eggs are laid, and on top of them are already unfertilized eggs without yolks, having an irregular shape and forming an insulating layer in case of a particularly dry season.

Having buried the clutch, the tired mother, with a sense of accomplishment, sets off into the depths of the sea, only to return back two years later and give life to a new generation.

Depending on environmental conditions, incubation can last from 60 to 64 days. If it rained at this time and the weather was relatively cool, then males are born. During warmer periods, only females hatch.

All the turtles come to this mortal world within a few hours and, vigorously climbing over the bodies and heads of their fellows, try to rake the sand and get out. On the 3-4th day they succeed. With the onset of darkness, they begin their difficult and dangerous journey to the sea.

They are guided by the reflections of the Moon reflected from the water surface. Most babies become easy prey for predators. Only the most dexterous and lucky cubs make it to the saving pond. They become sexually mature at the age of 15-20 years.

Description

The average body length is about 2 m, the span of the front flippers is up to 5 m, and the weight reaches 400-700 kg. The shell, consisting of small horny plates, is covered with thin skin. 7 light relief ridges stretch along the carapace. Its concave rear end ends in a tail spur.

The color of the upper part is dark, almost black, with blue spots scattered over the entire surface. Males have a long and thin tail, while females have a short and cone-shaped tail. The massive head, which does not retract under the shell, is armed with powerful jaws.

There is one sharp tooth on each side of the upper jaw. In the mouth itself there are numerous horny spines of different lengths. The limbs transformed into flippers provide increased mobility in the aquatic environment. The rear flippers are smaller than the front ones and act as a rudder.

The lifespan of a leatherback turtle in natural conditions is still unknown. They are believed to live to be 150 years or more.

Leatherback turtle at the moment, the only such modern species, the evolution of which followed a separate path. Today, friends, we will tell you about this reptile, its habitat and reproduction, as well as interesting facts and life expectancy.

Description of the leatherback turtle

As you know, leatherback turtle different from other species. The reason for this was the shell, which is not connected to the skeleton, but consists of small bone plates that connect to each other and form ridges. The shell is covered with a thick layer of skin, but turtles do not have scutes. Thanks to this unusual formation of the shell, the turtle got its name. The length of her body can be 2.5 meters, and her weight is almost 600 kg! The color is usually dark with peculiar white spots throughout the body.

Leatherback turtle To maintain body temperature, it must constantly eat. Its diet includes jellyfish, crayfish, clams, sea cucumbers (sea cucumbers), as well as young fish. The reptile can swim approximately 20-30 km per day, diving to depths during the day and emerging to the surface at night.

Interesting facts about the leatherback turtle

Leatherback turtles can reach a weight of 950 kg

The reptile's diet also includes vegetation.

Leatherback turtles eggs are not always laid annually, but once every 1-3 years

To get food, the turtle dives to a depth of 1000 meters

The main problem of this species is the pollution of the oceans and the digging of eggs

Lifespan of a Leatherback Turtle is 50 years old

The leatherback turtle is listed in Red Book

Habitat and Reproduction of the Leatherback Turtle

Leatherback turtle habitat

This type lives exclusively in subtropical and tropical waters: the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Leatherback turtle breeding

After solitude, the female swims to the shore and at night digs a hole, no more than a meter deep. She lays from 50 to 150 eggs, and again swims out to sea. After a couple of months, the babies begin to hatch. A difficult journey awaits them from the coast to the sea, because there is so much horror around and not many will survive. First of all, the turtles are hunted by birds, and those who managed to get to the sea are still in danger. There's a crab lying in wait there. And strong waves throw them towards the shore, thereby killing newborns with strong blows or leading them to crabs. The long journey of life is a note of joy for turtles who have successfully reached the depths of the sea.

VIDEO: ABOUT TURTLES

IN THIS VIDEO, WE INVITE YOU TO SEE HOW TURTLES ARE BORN.

Few people know that the leatherback turtle (lut) appears on all official papers of the maritime department belonging to the Republic of Fiji. For the inhabitants of the archipelago, the sea turtle represents speed and excellent navigation skills.

Description of the leatherback turtle

The only modern species in the leatherback turtle family produces not only the largest, but also the heaviest reptiles. Dermochelys coriacea (leatherback turtle) weighs from 400 to 600 kg, in rare cases gaining twice that weight (900-plus kg).

This is interesting! So far, the largest leatherback turtle is considered to be a male discovered on the coast near the city of Harlech (England) in 1988. This reptile weighed over 961 kg with a length of 2.91 m and a width of 2.77 m.

Lut has a special shell structure: it consists of thick skin, and not of horny plates, like other sea turtles.

Appearance

The leatherback turtle's pseudocarapace is composed of connective tissue (4 cm thick), on top of which there are thousands of small scutes. The largest of them form 7 strong ridges, reminiscent of tight ropes, stretched along the shell from head to tail. Softness and some flexibility are also characteristic of the thoracic (not completely ossified) section of the turtle shell, equipped with five longitudinal ribs. Despite the lightness of the carapace, it reliably protects the loot from enemies, and also contributes to better maneuvering in the depths of the sea.

On the head, neck and limbs of young turtles, scutes are visible, disappearing as they grow older (they are preserved only on the head). The older the animal, the smoother its skin. There are no teeth on turtle jaws, but there are powerful and sharp horny edges on the outside, reinforced by the jaw muscles.

The leatherback turtle's head is quite large and cannot be retracted under its shell. The forelimbs are almost twice as long as the hind limbs, reaching a span of 5 meters. On land, the leatherback turtle looks dark brown (almost black), but the main color background is diluted by light yellow spots.

Loot lifestyle

If it were not for the impressive dimensions, the loot would not be so easy to detect - reptiles do not form herds and behave like typical loners, they are cautious and secretive. Leatherback turtles are shy, which is strange for their huge build and remarkable physical strength. Lut, like other turtles, is quite clumsy on land, but beautiful and swift in the sea. Here it is not hampered by its gigantic size and weight: in the water, the leatherback turtle swims quickly, maneuvers dashingly, dives deeply and remains there for a long time.

This is interesting! Lut is the best diver among all turtles. The record belongs to a leatherback turtle, which in the spring of 1987 sank to a depth of 1.2 km near the Virgin Islands. The depth was reported by a device attached to the shell.

High speed (up to 35 km/h) is ensured by developed pectoral muscles and four limbs similar to flippers. Moreover, the rear ones replace the steering wheel, and the front ones work like a real engine. In its swimming style, the leatherback turtle resembles a penguin - it seems to soar in the water element, freely rotating its large front flippers.

Lifespan

Range, habitats

The leatherback turtle lives in three oceans (Pacific, Atlantic and Indian), swimming to the Mediterranean Sea, but is rarely seen. Loot was also seen in the Russian (then Soviet) waters of the Far East, where 13 animals were discovered from 1936 to 1984. Biometric parameters of turtles: weight 240–314 kg, length 1.16–1.57 m with a width of 0.77–1.12 m.

Important! As fishermen assure, the number 13 does not reflect the real picture: near the southern Kuril Islands, leatherback turtles are found much more often. Herpetologists believe that reptiles are drawn here by the warm Soya current.

Geographically, these and later finds were distributed as follows:

• Peter the Great Bay (Sea of ​​Japan) – 5 specimens;
• Sea of ​​Okhotsk (Iturup, Shikotan and Kunashir) – 6 specimens;
• southwestern coast of Sakhalin Island – 1 copy;
• water area of ​​the southern Kuril Islands – 3 specimens;
• Bering Sea – 1 copy;
• Barents Sea – 1 copy.

Scientists have hypothesized that leatherback turtles began to swim into the seas of the Far East due to cyclical warming of water and climate. This is confirmed by the dynamics of the catch of pelagic marine fish and the discovery of other southern species of marine fauna.

Leatherback turtle diet

The reptile is not a vegetarian and eats both plant and animal foods. Turtles get on the table:

• fish;
• crabs and crayfish;
• jellyfish;
• shellfish;
• sea ​​worms;
• sea ​​plants.

Lut easily copes with the densest and thickest stems, biting them off with its powerful and sharp jaws. The forelimbs with claws that firmly hold trembling prey and escaping plants also take part in the meal. But the leatherback turtle itself often becomes an object of gastronomic interest for people who value its delicious flesh.

Important! Stories about the lethality of turtle meat are inaccurate: toxins enter the reptile’s body only from the outside, after eating poisonous animals. If the loot has been eaten properly, its meat can be safely eaten without fear of poisoning.

In the tissues of the leatherback turtle, or more precisely, in its pseudocarapace and epidermis, a lot of fat was found, which is often rendered and used for various purposes - to lubricate seams in fishing schooners or in pharmaceuticals. The abundance of fat in the shell worries only museum workers, who are forced to deal with the fat drops that have been leaking from stuffed leatherback turtles for years (if the taxidermist did a bad job).

Natural enemies

Possessing a solid mass and an impenetrable carapace, the loot has practically no enemies on land and in the sea (it is known that an adult reptile is not afraid even of a shark). The turtle escapes from other predators by deep dives, descending 1 km or more. If it fails to escape, it confronts the opponent, fighting back with strong front legs. If necessary, the turtle bites painfully, using jaws with sharp horny serrations - the angry reptile quickly bites through a thick stick.

In recent years, humans have become the worst enemy of adult leatherback turtles.. He is responsible for the pollution of the oceans, illegal trapping of animals and insatiable tourist interest (loot is often attacked by plastic waste, mistaking it for food). All factors combined have significantly reduced the number of sea turtles. The turtle offspring have many more ill-wishers. Small and defenseless turtles are eaten by carnivorous animals and birds, and predatory fish lie in wait in the sea.

Also the fastest reptile. The maximum recorded weight was 916 kg and height 3 m. This record holder was discovered on the west coast of Wales. On average, adult turtles grow to weigh 700 kg. and a height of 2.7 m. At the same time, they manage to reach speeds of up to 35 km/h.

Its teardrop-shaped body is hydrodynamically best suited for swimming in the open ocean, compared to other turtles. The span of the front flippers reaches 5 m. These flippers are the largest among all reptiles, even in comparison with the body of any other turtle.

The most noticeable difference between the leatherback turtle and others is that it lacks a shell. Instead of the characteristic scutes, its shell is just a hard and thick growth of tissue with a small part osteoderms(small ossifications on the animal’s skin). The color of the upper body varies from dark gray to black. There are small inclusions of light or white spots. The shell is “cut” by 7 ridges, which start at the top and reach the back.

A unique feature of the leatherback turtle is its almost complete absence beta keratin, which is observed in other reptiles and gives more rigidity to the animal's skin.

On the leading edge of the turtle's beak (scientifically " tomium") there are small bone points that replace teeth. Behind them there are spines directed towards the inside of the throat, and are designed to facilitate the swallowing of food.

Habitat

The habitat extends throughout the subtropical and tropical regions of the world's oceans. Since the reptile can maintain a body temperature higher than the temperature of the surrounding water, it is also found in temperate latitudes, up to Alaska and Norway.

There are three genetically distinct populations of leatherback turtles: Atlantic, Pacific And Indian.

Atlantic leatherback turtle feeds mainly on jellyfish, which are widespread in the cold waters of the Atlantic. The reptile, like large mammals, grazes in feeding fields. Only a few beaches are suitable for breeding. The most significant breeding sites are in the Caribbean, Gabon and French Guiana. It is in Gabon that there are beaches favored by leatherback turtles. Every year in April, about 30 thousand reptiles visit them.

Pacific leatherback turtle divided into two groups. One inhabits the coasts of Papua, Solomon Islands, Indonesia and North America. The second group is found off the coast of South America, Mexico and Costa Rica.

Indian population relatively poorly studied. Known habitats are near Sri Lanka and the Nibor Islands.

Lifestyle

Adults are found mainly in the open ocean. These animals are tireless travelers. There are known cases of overcoming a huge distance of 20,000 km. from the USA to Indonesia. The leatherback turtle's tracked journey took 647 days, during which it fed primarily on jellyfish. During the day, the reptile preferred deep waters, and surface waters at night. This strategy allowed the turtle to constantly stay in the layer of water where most of the jellyfish are located, making daily migrations upward in the dark and descending during the day.

It is jellyfish that make up the main diet of adult reptiles, although they can also prey on other soft-bodied animals - cephalopods and tunicates.

It's scary that trash thrown into the ocean can literally kill a leatherback turtle. She perceives a plastic bag floating in the water as a jellyfish. It is clear that eating garbage will not bring anything good to the animal. It is estimated that one in three turtles eat plastic. Given the limited population of animals, it is scary to imagine the volume of garbage in the world's oceans.

Like all sea turtles, the leatherback begins its life journey by crawling out of the sand of the beach where its mother laid her egg. These first minutes of life are the most dangerous. On the way to the water, young turtles are waited by birds, other reptiles, and some mammals. Those few who were able to get to the saving water have a better chance of survival than those who hesitated on the shore.

Records

A remarkable feature of the leatherback turtle is its ability to maintain body heat through metabolically generated heat. To do this, the turtle must constantly feed. The turtle spends its excess metabolism mainly on maintaining a high speed of movement. It is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest reptile, reaching a speed of 35.28 km/h underwater, although they usually swim no faster than 1-2 m/s.

Research has shown that leatherback turtles can dive to great depths. It has been experimentally established that a reptile in its natural habitat can dive under water to a depth of 1280 m. For such a long dive, the animal is able to hide under water for 70 minutes, although the typical duration of the dive is 3-8 minutes. This experiment, which was carried out near the Virgin Islands, however, did not answer why the leatherback turtle would dive to such enormous depths. One explanation is the search for food. The turtle feeds on mollusks, crustaceans, and jellyfish, which can be found in abundance in the depths of the sea.

Video

Leatherback turtle

Leatherback turtle

Leatherback turtle