The answer is humans . Humans are the greatest danger that leatherbacks face. Untold numbers of adult leatherbacks die each year from drowning in fishing nets or on fishing lines. More acres of nesting beaches are lost every year to development for the tourist industry or for private residences. Eggs are stolen from nests to be sold on the black market as aphrodisiacs.
Pollution can affect both adults and turtles in the egg.
Scientists estimate that only 1 in 1000 leatherback hatchlings survive to adulthood. Knowledge is power Scientists come to Costa Rica from all over the world to study the leatherback. They hope that knowledge of its biology, nesting habits, and early development will give us all the tools we need to preserve this national treasure. A management program built on a foundation of scientific information may be the answer to the complex problems that leatherbacks face in today's world.