If you are fortunate enough to see a leatherback, you will witness a creature whose ancestors survived the age of dinosaurs. But now this ancient relic hangs on the brink of extinction. A cosmopolitan lifestyle Leatherbacks migrate hundreds of miles every year. No leatherback on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, however, lives long enough to make this kind of contribution to her species.
Most Pacific leatherbacks only nest once because they are killed at sea.
A life in peril Adult leatherbacks have few natural predators, but hatchlings are a favorite prey of many animals from the time they hatch on the beach until they are grown. 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.