{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "leatherback-turtle",
  "name": "Leatherback Sea Turtle",
  "scientificName": "Dermochelys coriacea",
  "category": "Reptile",
  "summary": "The leatherback is the largest sea turtle in the world and one of the widest-ranging reptiles, swimming across every ocean from the tropics to the cold edges of the Arctic. It reaches 1.8 m (6 ft) long, weighs 250 to 700 kg (550 to 1,540 lb) and feeds almost entirely on jellyfish. A strong swimmer, it can move at up to 35 km/h (22 mph) and lives around 40 to 45 years. The IUCN lists it as Vulnerable.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Reptilia",
    "order": "Testudines",
    "family": "Dermochelyidae",
    "genus": "Dermochelys"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 400,
    "lengthM": 1.8,
    "topSpeedKmh": 35,
    "lifespanYears": 45
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Dermochelys coriacea"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore — jellyfish and salps almost exclusively"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Oceans worldwide from tropics to Arctic edges"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "40–45 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "250–700 kg (550–1,540 lb); largest of all turtles"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 35 km/h (22 mph) swimming"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "All oceans from Arctic edges to tropical nesting beaches — most wide-ranging sea turtle.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Asia",
      "Europe",
      "North America",
      "Oceania",
      "Oceans",
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Dermochelys coriacea.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Dermochelys%20coriacea&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Dermochelys coriacea. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dermochelys_coriacea/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/leatherback-turtle/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/leatherback-turtle/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}