The Leatherback Is the Largest Turtle in the World

Most turtles are easy to recognise by their hard shells. The leatherback is the exception, and it is also the biggest. NOAA Fisheries states that the leatherback sea turtle is the largest turtle in the world, and that leatherbacks are the only species of sea turtle that lack scales and a hard shell. They are named for their tough, rubbery skin. NOAA adds that they have existed in their current form since the age of the dinosaurs. Leatherbacks are remarkable travellers and divers. They are highly migratory, with some swimming over 10,000 miles a year between nesting and foraging grounds. According to NOAA, the deepest recorded dive by a leatherback reached nearly 4,000 feet.