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Leatherback Sea Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

Reptile · family Dermochelyidae · order Testudines

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G2: imperiled[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Leatherback Sea Turtle
Photo: Julien Renoult, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Endangered[1]
NatureServe global rank
G2 Imperiled[2]
Native in
21 states[3]
Longest recorded life
30 years[4]

The Leatherback Sea Turtle is a large reptile in the family Dermochelyidae, part of the turtle order Testudines[5]. It is listed as Endangered under the US Endangered Species Act[1], and NatureServe lists it as native along US coasts in 21 states, from Alaska and Hawaii to Florida and Maine[3].

Conservation status

The leatherback has been listed as Endangered under the US Endangered Species Act since June 2, 1970[1]. That means federal law treats it as at risk of dying out. NatureServe ranks it G2, or Imperiled, around the world[2], and the IUCN Red List category it records is Vulnerable[6]. It is also on CITES Appendix I, which puts strict controls on international trade in the species[7].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Endangered, listed June 2, 1970
NatureServe global rank[2] G2 (Imperiled)
NatureServe US rank[8] N2B (Imperiled (breeding))
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[6] Vulnerable
CITES (international trade)[7] Appendix I
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[9] 10,000 to 100,000 individuals

Where Leatherback Sea Turtle lives

NatureServe lists the leatherback as native in 21 US states, on the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific coasts and in Alaska and Hawaii[3]. Examples include Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, California and Oregon[3]. The federal listed range covers states such as Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Maryland, plus Puerto Rico[1].

Alaska: native, state rank S2AKMaine: native, state rank SNRMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: native, state rank SNRNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: native, state rank S1NNYMassachusetts: native, state rank S1NMAOregon: native, state rank SNAORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: native, state rank S1MNJConnecticut: native, state rank S1NCTRhode Island: native, state rank SNRRICalifornia: native, state rank SNACAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: native, state rank S1B,S1NVAMaryland: native, state rank S1NMDDelaware: native, state rank SNADEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S1B,SUNNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S2SCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: native, state rank SNALAMississippi: native, state rank SNAMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: native, state rank S2GAHawaii: native, state rank S1HITexas: native, state rank S1TXFlorida: native, state rank S2FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[10].
Show state ranks (21 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlaskaS2Imperiled
CaliforniaSNANot Applicable
ConnecticutS1NCritically Imperiled (nonbreeding)
DelawareSNANot Applicable
FloridaS2Imperiled
GeorgiaS2Imperiled
HawaiiS1Critically Imperiled
LouisianaSNANot Applicable
MaineSNRNot Ranked
MarylandS1NCritically Imperiled (nonbreeding)
MassachusettsS1NCritically Imperiled (nonbreeding)
MississippiSNANot Applicable
New HampshireSNRNot Ranked
New JerseyS1MCritically Imperiled (migrant)
New YorkS1NCritically Imperiled (nonbreeding)
North CarolinaS1B,SUNCritically Imperiled (breeding), Unrankable (nonbreeding)
OregonSNANot Applicable
Rhode IslandSNRNot Ranked
South CarolinaS2Imperiled
TexasS1Critically Imperiled
VirginiaS1B,S1NCritically Imperiled (breeding), Critically Imperiled (nonbreeding)

Habitat

This is an ocean animal that lives mostly in open water far from shore, often out near where the continental shelf drops off[11]. It can also turn up in seas, gulfs, bays and estuaries, which are places where rivers meet the sea[11]. NatureServe habitat types for it are sand and dunes, bays and sounds, the open ocean and near shore waters[12]. It spends most of its time under water and dives very deep, and it comes onto sandy beaches mainly to lay eggs in damp sand[11].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[12]

Size, diet and lifespan

Jellyfish are its main food, though it sometimes eats other animals without backbones, fish and seaweed[13]. NatureServe calls the adult an invertivore, meaning it eats mostly animals without backbones[14]. A typical length is 178 cm (70 in)[15], and a typical adult weighs 544 kg (1199 lb)[16]. A typical clutch has 105 eggs[17], which take about 60 days to hatch[18]. Females reach breeding age at about 4,748 days[19]. The longest recorded lifespan is 30 years[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[15] 178 cm (70 in)
Typical adult weight[16] 544 kg (1199 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 30 years
Litter or clutch size[17] 105
Gestation or incubation[18] 60 days
Female maturity[19] 4,748 days (about 13.0 years)
Food habits[14] Invertivore
Migration[20] long-distance migrant

When to look for it

NatureServe describes the leatherback as a long-distance migrant, though populations can differ[20]. On GBIF, US observation records peak in February, March and August[21]. These records show when people look for and report the turtle, not how many turtles are around[21].

January: 519 recordsJanFebruary: 871 recordsFebMarch: 995 recordsMarApril: 148 recordsAprMay: 314 recordsMayJune: 322 recordsJunJuly: 846 recordsJulAugust: 955 recordsAugSeptember: 598 recordsSepOctober: 426 recordsOctNovember: 208 recordsNovDecember: 358 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[21].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January519
February871
March995
April148
May314
June322
July846
August955
September598
October426
November208
December358

Where to see it

This species is protected or at risk, so we show its range only at the state level. We do not publish parks, nesting, spawning or wintering sites.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Florida, California, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Alaska[22]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the leatherback sea turtle endangered?
Yes. It is listed as Endangered under the US Endangered Species Act, since June 2, 1970[1]. NatureServe ranks it G2, Imperiled, worldwide[2].
Where do leatherback sea turtles live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in 21 US states, including Alaska, Hawaii, California, Florida, Texas and Maine[3]. It lives mostly in the open ocean[11].
What do leatherback sea turtles eat?
Their main food is jellyfish[13]. They sometimes also eat other animals without backbones, fish and seaweed[13].
How big is a leatherback sea turtle?
A typical length is 178 cm (70 in)[15]. A typical adult weighs 544 kg (1199 lb)[16].
How long do leatherback sea turtles live?
The longest recorded lifespan in AnAge is 30 years[4]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan[4].

Facts and sources

  1. Under the US Endangered Species Act, Leatherback sea turtle has the status Endangered, listed June 2, 1970 (USFWS ECOS). States in the listed range: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas,... USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Leatherback Sea Turtle: G2 (Imperiled). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Leatherback Sea Turtle as native in 21 US states and territories: Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 30 years. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is a reptile in the family Dermochelyidae, order Testudines. NatureServe Explorer
  6. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Vulnerable. NatureServe Explorer
  7. CITES listing recorded by NatureServe: Appendix I (controls on international trade). NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N2B (Imperiled (breeding)). NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): 10,000 to 100,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe state ranks for Leatherback Sea Turtle (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe notes on habitat for Leatherback Sea Turtle. NatureServe Explorer
  12. Habitat types NatureServe records for Leatherback Sea Turtle: Sand/dune, Bay/sound, Pelagic, Near shore. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on food for Leatherback Sea Turtle. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 178 cm (70 in). NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 544 kg (1199 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 105. AnAge
  18. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 60 days. AnAge
  19. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 4,748 days (about 13.0 years). AnAge
  20. NatureServe migration category for Leatherback Sea Turtle: long-distance migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  21. GBIF observation records of Leatherback Sea Turtle in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  22. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Leatherback Sea Turtle: Florida, California, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Alaska. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Julien Renoult, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.