Extinction is Forever : Leatherback Turtles

Endangered by Global Warming : Leatherback Turtles

• Record Holders: Leatherbacks are the largest of all sea turtles and are the deepest divers of any reptile species, reaching documented depths greater than 4,000 feet.
• Ocean Wanderers: Leatherbacks have the broadest range of any sea turtles and can be found in temperate and tropical oceans around the planet.
• Jellyfish Explosion: Experts believe that declining sea turtle numbers as responsible for a population explosion of jellyfish, the leatherbacks' principal diet.
• Flooded Beaches: Rising sea levels and stronger tropical storms threaten breeding beaches and nests.
• Warming Nests: Hotter sand means hotter nests, resulting in lower hatching rates and fewer males.

More on Leatherback Turtles

Leatherbacks were listed as endangered in 1970 and confront multiple threats from humans, from unintentionally being caught in fishing nets to intentionally being harvested for meat. Their estimated numbers are down to 26,000 – 43,000 nesting females, a dramatic decline from the 115,000 estimated in 1980.

We need Congress to act by passing a national cap on America's global warming pollution. This is the first critical step in slowing and reversing the threat of global warming.

Take action and spread the word at the Environmental Defense Fund website:

http://www.edf.org/warmingwildlife

Tags: extinction, leatherback turtles, global warming, habitat loss, jellyfish bloom