The Leatherback Turtle is one of Newfoundland's endangered reptiles. The Leatherback Turtle is the largest living turtle in the world. Its shell consists of skin with tiny bones imbedded in it and with 7 ridges along it. The adult's shell is black, while the young has a spotted shell. The legs are like paddles and have no claws. Leatherback Turtles can measure up to 2.4m in length and 3.6m in width. They also weigh up to 725kg.

The main limiting factor for the Leatherback Turtles is poor nesting success. Nesting success has been near impossible with the collection of eggs by humans, natural predation, loss of beaches because of recreational/commercial development, illumination of the beaches, pollution on the shore and adult turtles comsuming debris from the shore.

The Leatherback Turtle is protected in many countries, by law. In the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, to which Canada is a signatory, is has been listed. In New Brunswick, the Leatherback was designated endangered under the provincial Endagered Species Act in 1996.

It is very important that we try to save the Leatherback Turtle from becoming extinct. The Leatherback Turtle is one of the world's oldest species and because of us, in the last century it has become endangered. We have to make more attempts to try and save this mammal because it is only our fault that it is endangered.

Reference: http://www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca/Species/English/SearchDetail.cfm?SpeciesID=274