28/08/2025
We have been seeing some leatherback turtles off the coast now in Lewis and Harris , we have big swarms of jelly fish , and that is there current buffet.
So lets tell you a little about leatherbacks!
*They are enormous and can weigh 900kilos or more!
*They are distinctive in look with long longitudial ridges on there shell.
*They are not commonly prone to accidential strandings but they can get caught up in plastic pollution and fishing industry waste and line.
*They are normally in temperate and tropical waters worldwide, in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea, making them the most widely distributed of all reptiles and are the most frequent turtle species to visit our waters at this time of year
*They travel vast distances from tropical nesting beaches, where they lay eggs, to colder feeding grounds in search of their primary food source: jellyfish.
There lungs are actually situated at the tops of there shell so if they are laying on there backs they need uprighting quickly back to being on its belly as they can suffocate under there own weight
There natural predators as adults are sharks and killer whales.
So what do you do if you do find a turtle stranded?
Call us! On 01825 765546
So Save our number to your phone for all marine life help or advice required across the United Kingdom
You can also check out our website too at
www.bdmlr.org.uk
