The Leatherback sea turtle, the world's largest turtle, is named for its thin, tough, rubbery skin. Unlike other sea turtles, it lacks scales and a hard shell. Instead, its carapace is composed of small, interlocking dermal bones beneath the skin, with seven ridges running the length of the carapace that taper to a point. Its skin is typically dark grey or black with white or pale spots.

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Leatherback turtles have longer front flippers compared to other sea turtles, and their back flippers are paddle-shaped. These adaptations, along with their stiff carapace, make them well-suited for long-distance migrations (up to 20,000 km) and deep dives (greater than 1 km deep) to forage. They have pointed, tooth-like cusps and sharp-edged jaws, perfect for feeding on soft-bodied prey such as jellyfish and scalps.

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The Leatherback has the most extensive global distribution of any reptile, migrating across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They primarily breed on tropical and subtropical beaches, and females lay around 100 eggs per clutch after reaching sexual maturity between 9 and 20 years of age. The eggs incubate for about two months before hatching.

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Leatherbacks face several threats, including bycatch in fishing gear, turtle hunting, and egg collection for human consumption.