Natural History Leatherbacks are unique among sea turtles in that their primary food is jellyfish. They also will eat fish, mollusks, squid, sea urchins, and other marine creatures. Adult leatherbacks ply the seas alone, except on occasion gathering to feed in areas with large numbers of jellyfish. Sea turtles swim with grace and speed and have been clocked at an amazing 22 miles per hour. All other sea turtles are confined to the warmer regions of the world's oceans.
Leatherbacks require warm tropical beaches to incubate their eggs.
After mating with a male just off shore, the female waits for nightfall to clamber up the beach, dig a shallow pit in the sand, and deposit her eggs. The female then buries the eggs with her hind flippers and compacts the sand with the weight of her body before crawling back to the sea. Although a female may lay as many as 100 to 150 eggs at time, only a few will survive to grow to adulthood and breed. Life is perilous for a tiny hatchling sea turtle. They are a favorite food for natural predators such as raccoons, seabirds, sharks, and large fishes.