Leatherback Turtles – Turtles of Todos Santos, BCS

Photo Via Topix

Photo Via Topix

Turtle nesting season begins in September and October in the Todos Santos area generally.  Last year the first nestings were spotted at the end of October:  Please don’t drive on the beaches!  This is one of the last pesticide free nesting ranges in the world for Caray, Leatherback, and Olive Ridley sea turtles.

If you are interested in helping protect turtles in the Todos Santos area please vist : http://www.todostortugueros.org/

Some interesting facts concerning Leatherback Turtles.

• A leatherback’s favorite food is jellyfish. They even have a special notch in their beak to help puncture the man-o-war jellyfish.
• Leatherbacks lay eggs the size of billiard balls and SAGs. SAGs are not eggs; they are smaller and have shell and albumen but not yolk
• The temperature in the nest determines if a hatchling will be male or female
• A leatherback’s shell is covered by a leathery skin
• The “tears” that turtles “cry” are just their way of shedding excess salt

For more information about leatherback turtles visit http://www.leatherback.org/ldc/pg/aboutturtles.htm