Leatherback Turtle Food for Beginners As the largest turtle in the world, you would think leatherback turtle food would include some larger animals. Actually the opposite is true. Leatherback turtles feed mainly on jellyfish. They do eat other things, but jellyfish are by far the favorite choice of leatherback turtle food. The Giants of the Sea Leatherbacks were once in great abundance, but now each year there are less and less of them. It is not because leatherback turtle food is scarce; it is because of man and his intrusion into the seas. There are several causes for their endangered status and all can be traced back to humankind. Leatherbacks are an unusual species of sea turtles in the fact they can swim in almost all of the world's oceans. They are an ancient species, boasting survival of over 100 million years, and usually travel alone. They are able to swim in the colder waters because they can effectively turn off the flow of blood to their flippers. They also have a layer of fat beneath their skin that is thick and oily. Any other sea turtle has to stay in the warmer waters, but the leatherbacks are able to travel far and wide. The Uniqueness of Leatherbacks Other sea turtles eat a variety of foods, but leatherback turtle food is composed mostly of jellyfish. Though the adult of the species typically travels alone, they are known to gather when there is a large concentration of jellyfish. Though jellyfish are the preferred leatherback turtle food, they will feed on other marine life. Marine creatures such as mollusks, sea urchins, squid and fish will be eaten if the preferred leatherback turtle food is scarce. With their place firmly secured on the endangered list, we don't realize the impact their extinction will have on the ocean's ecosystem. The jellyfish population as the favorite leatherback turtle food is kept in check by these primordial creatures. Without them to reduce jellyfish populations, it is a concern that other fish populations will suffer as a result. Jellyfish feed on the larvae of other species of fish that are commercially fished. The leatherback's survival benefits not only fish, but people and fisheries as well. Another Problem Facing Leatherback Turtles Because the favorite leatherback turtle food is jellyfish, they are easily misled by Styrofoam, balloons and plastic bags to name a few of the items they have ingested by mistake. Eating these items can cause an obstruction, reduce nutrient absorption and cause them to ingest harmful toxins. When a leatherback turtle sees a sheet of plastic or a plastic bag floating on the surface, they will eat it thinking it is a jellyfish. Out of 33 dead leatherbacks found in the years 1979 through 1988, it is said that ten of them ate monofilament, plastic sheets or bags. These gentle creatures are losing ground by the year as beach erosion ruins their nesting grounds. They are timid of lights and many beachfront owners have glaring outside lights that frighten them off. Much is being done to save these beautiful aquatic animals, but it may be a case of too little too late as another species is wiped off the face of the earth because of the actions of the human race.

Pet Turtle Care Tip #1 Turtles are members of the Reptile family and they are some of the oldest living creatures on the planet. They have been around for more than two hundred million years. This makes them as old as the dinosaurs. There are hundreds of different kinds of turtles all over the planet.

Pet Turtle Care Tip #2 Sea turtles are the most popular of all of the turtles. These are also some of the largest creatures—some sea turtles can grow to more than six feet in length and weigh hundreds of pounds. Scientists think that sea turtles are actually land creatures that went back into the water and never came out. Over time their limbs evolved to make them stronger swimmers and to keep them in the water: their front appendages are actually flippers.

Pet Turtle Care Tip #3 All turtles, even sea turtles, are air breathing creatures. While some turtles can stay under the water for hours at a time, they all must surface at least once a day to stay alive. There is one turtle, the giant turtle that only has to surface once a day to take in air. There are some studies being done to see if some species of turtle might be able to draw oxygen from their cells much like some fish use their gills to breathe.