Exotic Animal Newsflash:
As of yesterday, January 18th, 2009, the leatherback sea turtle has been moved to the critically endangered list from being only a vulnerable species in Australia.
Photo left: baby leatherback sea turtle
The leatherback sea turtle is the fourth largest reptilians in the world behind 3 crocodilians.
What is most sad about this fact, is that the leatherback is the only species of animal in the genus Dermochelys. Once they’re gone, there’s none left! NONE!
Why Are They In Peril?
Because the eggs and meat are being harvested in waters outside of Australia, which is causing this animal to seriously decline in numbers.
What’s cool about the leatherback is that it doesn’t have a bony shell, it’s covered by skin and oily flesh. That’s why it’s called the leatherback.
Adults are between 1-2 meters long, and weigh anywhere from 250-700 kg! Wow! That’s huge!
The largest one ever recorded was 3 meters long and 916 kg! Crazy huge!
The interesting thing about this turtle is that it has a huge chance of survival as it can inhabit most of the waters on the planet.
It goes to show you what a state our planet is in if they are suffering to such a degree for survival!
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I hope you find this Turtle post informative on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…
Live Exotically,
Kimberly Edwards 
P.S. To find out more about the Threat to the Leatherback Turtle, check out this book:
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That’s so unbelievably sad, Kimberly!
When will we ever learn??? I just hope it’s not too late!!!
Ken
I know, right? Every time we lose a species of animal, we’re that much closer to our own peril…
Kimberly
i think that their world is slowly comming to an end the animals are going to have to pay for it . its realy sad how millions of people can be so careless!!!!!!! i hope that one day people can relize what is happening and will stop …… and eventually quit what they are doing
Hello Autum,
I absolutely, 100% agree with you…It’s so very sad!
All we can do is all we can our own selves…Just can’t force people to do things…Wish we could!
Hope to see you around again soon – thanks for the sincere comment,
Kimberly