Nesting females prefer open isolated beaches. This is becoming increasingly difficult with the world's growing population and development of once pristine areas. Heavy use of beaches, driving vehicles and heavy machinery over the sand can cause problems for hatchlings by compacting the sand and making it nearly impossible to crawl through the sand, out of the nest. It is also possible that these actions can even penetrate the nest. However the open beaches are prone to erosion which leads to the destruction of nests and loss of eggs.
Hurricanes are a type of natural disasters that are detrimental to leatherback sea turtle nests.
Temperature, which may effect embryo development, is yet another factor that effects nests. Discarding objects and debris on the beach can be detrimental to nests by covering the nest and ultimately effecting the temperature of the eggs. Leatherback turtles eat a wide variety of marine debris such as plastic bags, plastic and styrofoam pieces, and balloons that are mistaken for jellyfish. Effects of consumption include interference in metabolism or gut function. While at sea, leatherbacks are victims of boat collisions.