Baleines Spm Frag'iles

This is the biggest living turtle in the World at the present time. While its French name refers to an old music instrument the “Luth”, the English name refers to the aspect of its back suggesting a thick leathery skin.  This species lacks a bony carapace, instead it has a thick leathery skin with embedded minuscule osteoderms. It is easy to identify with its dark grey color and the 7 longitudinal ridges and its large rounded head.

The Leatherback is a pelagic species remarkably well adapted for withstanding the cold waters of the north and the warmth of the tropics. It can be found in all the world oceans from tropical to sub-polar waters. In the North-West Atlantic it could be found around the islands of St-Pierre et Miquelon, off Atlantic Canada and Quebec. It has been reported from Labrador, Greenland, and even further north in Nunavut.

Its presence in our waters from June to October is probably linked to the concentration of jellyfish, its staple food.

The females travel great distances from their cold feeding areas in Northern and Southern hemisphere and their tropical or sub-tropical breeding grounds. In Western Atlantic, the most important breeding  grounds are located in French Guyana, Surinam and Guyana, and in Eastern Atlantic in Gabon, Angola and the republic of Congo. They travel North and South for thousands of km.

For the last few decades the world population was found in decline.

The species in on the IUCN Red list and considered Critically Endangered.

The species is protected in the whole French territory by ministerial order dated October 14, 2005 and considered endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).
There are behavioural and population studies of the species. As other areas of the world our islands are involved in providing some data, like photos, reports etc. contributing to a better knowledge of this species.

Due to our geographical context, we work in partnership with concerned Canadian scientists. Since 2007 we have a Franco-Canadian partnership which allowed some important actions like aerial census and communication to the public and professional seamen.

You too can help.
Do not hesitate to report on the presence of sea turtles in waters around our islands or elsewhere in the region. Contact us.

See the pictures