T es de tinglar

 

Ready for the science class?.  As you can tell I am in polka dot heavens!!!  And had fun using all my scraps!

The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea),  is the largest of all living turtles, as well as the largest extant sea turtle.   It can easily be differentiated from other modern sea turtles by its lack of a bony shell.  Instead, its carapace is covered by skin and oily flesh.

Sadly it is a Critically Endangered species.

Leatherback turtles have the most hydrodynamic body design of any sea turtle, with a large, teardrop-shaped body. A large pair of front flippers power the turtles through the water. Like other sea turtles, the leatherback has flattened forelimbs adapted for swimming in the open ocean. Claws are absent from both pairs of flippers. The leatherback's flippers are the largest in proportion to its body among extant sea turtles. Leatherback's front flippers can grow up to 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) in large specimens, the largest flippers (even in comparison to its body) of any sea turtle.  And they can be as large as 8'9" also from head to tail.

I have been witness to them nesting and did you know the female cries while lying the eggs.  It is something you can never forget, seeing this mighty giant being a mom.

 

this is the only sea turtle that is identical as a baby to the adult,

fresh from the nest and ready to make the journey to the seashore.

 I did a tall tale about this little one's journey to the beach...

I used this wordfetti to describe the turtles journey

here's the CSI case and the sketch Em did

my photos are courtesy of my BFF Myriam Reus, who had the pleasure of seeing them do the beach walk for the first time!  Thanks Myriam