Leatherback Sea turtle

About Leatherback Sea turtle:

 

• It is the largest turtle in the world. 
• It is the only species of sea turtle that lack scales and a hard shell. 
• They are named for their tough rubbery skin and have existed in their current form since the age of the dinosaurs. 
• These turtles are highly migratory which can swim over 10,000 miles a year between nesting and foraging grounds. 
• They are also accomplished divers with the deepest recorded dive reaching nearly 4,000 feet deeper than most marine mammals.
• It has a unique thermoregulatory adaptation allows them to maintain core body temperatures at extremely cold depths.
• Distribution: It is found in every ocean except the Arctic and Antarctic.
• They have the widest global distribution of any reptile, with nesting mainly on tropical or subtropical beaches.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN: Endangered
  • CITES: Appendix I

 

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Q1) What is IUCN?

The IUCN, or the International Union for Conservation of Nature, is an international organization dedicated to the conservation of nature and the sustainable use of natural resources. It is the world's largest and most diverse environmental network, bringing together governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), scientists, and experts from around the world.

Source: Leatherback, the world’s largest sea turtle, makes a rare appearance in Visakhapatnam