largest representative of the family of the same name is the leatherback turtle.This is an amazing animal reaches 2.5 meters in length and weighs about 600 kg.There were instances, weight reached 900 kg!These reptiles are substantially different from their counterparts, as have evolved quite differently.Their armor is not even shell: it does not consist of ossified plates, and a thick layer of horny skin.The skin of these turtles has ridges on the part of the belly and back (respectively, five and seven), which are located along the body of the animal.The color of its shell on top - dark brown.
The world's largest turtle has a flipper limbs, which do not have claws.Swipe fins can reach 3-4 meters.Habitat of these reptiles are tropical and subtropical seas and oceans, but sometimes they can be found in temperate latitudes.They find their food in the water and feed mainly on jellyfish, cephalopods, crustaceans, sea cucumbers and ctenophores.Small fish and algae are also included in the diet of these animals.Leatherback turtle - a great diver if it is attacking a predator, it can quickly go down to a depth of one kilometer.In addition, it moves very quickly in the water, as its fins have good maneuverability.It is interesting to observe the movements of these seemingly clumsy reptiles in his element - water.Their movements are very smooth and graceful.
largest turtles are also able to protect themselves from predators.They may reflect the impact of their powerful front flippers, and even snack half thick branch strong jaws.These reptiles are very cautious and timid, they quite difficult to detect, as they prefer to be alone and never gather in flocks.They are constantly out and about in the water and only during the egg-laying for long crawl ashore.
Three or four times a year leatherback turtles lay their eggs.The female tears a hole in the sand depth of 1 meter, or a little more to the form of the well.The female puts into this "well" his hindquarters, and a long time sitting in the same position until the delay of 30 to 120 eggs white.These eggs are not the same.Some - as big as a tennis ball, the other - the small, so-called sterile.When you have finished laying eggs, leatherback turtle eggs and sleeps very tight it tamps.
One can only wonder how after a while the young turtles manage to free ourselves from this prison.The fact that the small balls that are in the masonry, burst and form a free space enabling the kids to get out.Maternal instinct of mothers in this exhausted, and she returns to the sea, without worrying about the future of their offspring.The kids are left alone with nature as instituted in the animal world, survival of the fittest.
The world's largest turtles are on the verge of extinction.A man in search of the best places to vacation takes away the inhabitants of wildlife, sandy beaches, where turtles do masonry.Reptiles will not lay eggs in the neighborhood with the people, so they have fewer and fewer places for reproduction.In addition, catchers turtles consume them because of the "tortoise horn" - that is, chapped skin, which is highly regarded in certain circles.
biggest turtle (leatherback) listed in the International Red Book, and in some countries, especially in Malaysia, specifically set aside for them stretch of beach, is 12 km away, where people have no right to be at all.This concern of people about reptiles beginning to bear fruit: turtles swim here for procreation.I'd like to follow the example of Malaysia and other countries.
