In northern waters they are reported to sometimes enter shallow estuarine bays. Leatherbacks require sandy nesting beaches backed with vegetation and sloped sufficiently so that the crawl to dry sand is not too far. A suitable depth of coarse, dry sand is important, because the female first excavates a pit for her body and then must reach moist sand before she can make the proper flask-shaped nest. The preferred beaches have proximity to deep water and generally rough seas. 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. If it can survive to adulthood, spending as long as 10 to 15 years at sea, a turtle will return to breed at the same beach where it hatched. Causes of Endangerment Overexploitation Sea turtle eggs are a prized food for humans and animals alike. They are easy prey, simply waiting to be dug up once the female turtle returns to the sea. Turtle eggs are used in traditional Asian medicines, and in most parts of the tropical world the eggs are an important part of local diets.