Weight 300 kilograms, length 2 meters: what the world's largest turtle looks like. Photo

Almost a week ago, the body of a giant turtle weighing 300 kilograms was caught in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea near the Italian port of Viareggio. The neck and front fin of the two-meter-long animal got tangled in a rope, which caused its death.

As it turned out, it was a representative of Dermochelys coriacea. OBOZ.UA will tell you what is known about these reptiles, what they look like, and how they differ from other species.

What happened in Italy

On August 8, Italian law enforcement officers found the body of the world's largest turtle, which died in the Ligurian Sea, which is part of the Mediterranean. Since the animal's neck and front fin were wrapped in a tight rope, which caused its death, specialists had to dive into the reservoir to free the several hundred-kilogram reptile from the trap and bring it to the shore, as it was impossible to do so from a ship.

Experts used a special crane to move the body into a van, which transported it to the Experimental Animal Prevention Institute of Pisa, where the exact cause of death will be determined.

"This sad discovery, caused by human activity unwittingly or deliberately, represents a huge loss for the biodiversity of our seas and the protection of the large species that inhabit them," the experts said.

What is known about Dermochelys coriacea

Dermochelys coriacea, or leatherback turtle, is the largest species of modern reptiles in the world. The animal's body length can reach up to 3 meters and weigh – 500 kilograms. Their main food is various types of jellyfish, less often squid, sea urchins, snails, and algae.

A unique feature of these marine inhabitants is the absence of an inherent shell. Instead of a hardcover, most of the body of Dermochelys coriacea is covered with dense and flexible tissue that resembles skin.

The structure and appearance of the reptiles hardly differ from the first representatives of the species that appeared more than 110 million years ago. Even though the average life expectancy of the world's largest turtles ranges from 5 to 10 decades, they are currently under threat of extinction. This is due to human activity, which has a detrimental effect on aquatic ecosystems.

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