FWS Focus

Overview

The leatherback is the largest, deepest diving, and most migratory and wide ranging of all sea turtles. The adult leatherback can reach 4 to 8 feet in length and 500 to 2000 pounds in weight. Its shell is composed of a mosaic of small bones covered by firm, rubbery skin with seven longitudinal ridges or keels. The skin is predominantly black with varying degrees of pale spotting; including a notable pink spot on the dorsal surface of the head in adults. A toothlike cusp is located on each side of the gray upper jaw; the lower jaw is hooked anteriorly. The paddle-like clawless limbs are black with white margins and pale spotting.

Scientific Name

Dermochelys coriacea
Common Name
Leatherback
tinglar
Leatherback Sea Turtle
FWS Category
Reptiles
Kingdom

Location in Taxonomic Tree

Identification Numbers

TSN:

Geography

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Timeline

Explore the information available for this taxon's timeline. You can select an event on the timeline to view more information, or cycle through the content available in the carousel below.

12 Items

Listing

Listing

Critical Habitat

Critical Habitat

Critical Habitat

4d

Regulation

Five Year Review

Critical Habitat

Five Year Review

Listing

Downlisting

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Listing

Apr 14, 1970

Apr 14, 1970 Listing (Endangered)
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Endangered Species Conservation); 35 FR 6069
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 1

Listing

Jun 2, 1970

Jun 2, 1970 Listing (Endangered)
Part 17 - Conservation of Endangered Species and Other Fish or Wildlife (First List of Endangered Fo…
  • Publication type: Final
Item 2

Critical Habitat

Mar 23, 1978

Mar 23, 1978 Critical Habitat
Proposed Determination of Critical Habitat for the Leatherback Sea Turtle
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 3

Critical Habitat

Sep 26, 1978

Sep 26, 1978 Critical Habitat
Determination of Critical Habitat for the Leatherback Sea Turtle
  • Publication type: Final
Item 4

Critical Habitat

Mar 23, 1979

Mar 23, 1979 Critical Habitat
Determination of Critical Habitat for the Leatherback Sea Turtle
  • Publication type: Final
Item 5

4d

Jun 29, 1987

Jun 29, 1987 4d
NOAA--Sea Turtle Conservation; Shrimp Trawling Requirements; 52 FR 24244- 24262
  • Publication type: Final
Item 6

Regulation

Mar 23, 1999

Mar 23, 1999 Regulation
(NOAA/NMFS) Endangered and Threatened Species; Regulations Consolidation; Final Rule
  • Publication type: Final
Item 7

Five Year Review

Apr 21, 2005

Apr 21, 2005 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Initiation of a 5–Year Review of Listed Sea Turtles
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 8

Critical Habitat

Aug 4, 2011

Aug 4, 2011 Critical Habitat (Substantial information for revision)
90-Day Finding and 12-Month Determination on a Petition To Revise Critical Habitat for the Leatherba…
  • Publication type: 90 day petition finding
Item 9

Five Year Review

Oct 10, 2012

Oct 10, 2012 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Initiation of 5-Year Review for Kemp’s Ridley, Olive Ridley, Leatherback, and Hawksbill Sea Turtles
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 10

Listing

Dec 6, 2017

Dec 6, 2017 Listing (Warranted)
90-Day Finding on a Petition To Identify the Northwest Atlantic Leatherback Turtle as a Distinct Pop…
  • Publication type: 12m petition finding
Item 11

Downlisting

Aug 10, 2020

Aug 10, 2020 Downlisting (Not Warranted)
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife; 12-Month Finding on a Petition To Identify the Northwest Atlanti…
  • Publication type: 12m petition finding
Item 12