The 2,000-pound leatherback is the fourth-largest reptile. Leatherback turtles can grow up to eight feet long. Unlike other reptiles, leatherback turtles use thermoregulation to warm up or cool down.

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. The leatherback sea turtle offers a rare look into ...

See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. A rare and endangered leatherback sea turtle has been found washed up ...

In 2026, biologists at Cape Hatteras National Seashore have already found four nests from endangered leatherback sea turtles. That single-season figure equals the combined total recorded there over ...