| Remarks |
Usually found in deep, highly productive waters, occurring in waters far colder than that inhabited by other sea turtle species (Ref. 122680). Omnivorous; inhabiting the open sea (Ref. 79544). This is known to have a wide range of foraging area in the open ocean (Ref. 83887), wherein ocean currents take part in. Deepest dive is recorded at 1,230 m. Residence of this species is related to enhanced prey availability in a particular area (Ref. 85378). This is supported by data showing shallow near surface day and night diel dive patterns of leatherbacks in relation to their zooplankton prey exhibiting diel vertical migration that are both observed in high latitudes of the Atlantic and the tropics. This movement pattern may be a search strategy of leatherbacks for patchily distributed prey that can be foraged from near surface to about 200 m (Ref. 85786). Suitable habitat with prey availability is observed at temperatures of >15 °C as seen in South Africa (Ref. 85789). In the southern Atlantic, observed migration to feeding grounds were found to be 150 days to complete. Once the turtle reaches a food-rich habitat, it may stay there for about 5 years before it goes back to its origin before migration (Ref. 85867). Little information exists on the feeding behavior of post-hatchling and juvenile leatherback sea turtles living in pelagic habitats. They are likely deemed to be exclusively carnivorous (Ref. 122680). Adults feed solely on jellyfish (Ref. 118629). |