A boating trip in Florida led to a once-in-a-lifetime nature sighting: a giant turtle not only came into view, but swam alongside the boat for a moment! This enormous creature seemed pretty curious about the craft, circling it and even popping their head out of the water. Perhaps the animal was just as excited to experience a rare human sighting! Boaters were pretty thrilled with their footage, which they shared on social media.
“12 foot leatherback,” read the caption, referring to the species of sea turtle in the water.
@jonahthemtbkid16 12 foot leatherback #fyp #florida #jupiter #fl #ocean #turtle #inlet #boat #clear #water #animals #sea #like ♬ this place feels familiar – pxlse. & ascxnd
If you’re going to capture a video of a giant sea turtle, a leatherback is a pretty excellent find. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this is “the largest turtle in the world.” That’s pretty impressive in itself, but these reptiles have another distinguishing feature. Unlike other turtles, they don’t actually have hard outer shells! Instead, they have thick, leathery skin, which has earned them their name.
We’re not kidding when we say these sea turtles are GIANT.
Although the footage taken from the boat is really cool, it’s hard to tell just how big the creature is. However, there are plenty of other videos online that demonstrate how giant leatherback sea turtles can get! In the clip below, you can see one of these enormous animals being rescued by a group of caring humans.
Another video shows us some slightly scary-looking footage of the inside of this creature’s mouth. Look at all those long spikes! Don’t worry, though. As the NOAA informs us, these giant sea turtles are mostly interested in soft food, like jellyfish.
Sadly, these unique and beautiful creatures are considered endangered. Climate change and pollution make it harder for leatherback sea turtles to find good places to nest on land, while fishing and boating pose a threat to them while they’re in the water.
We’re so glad that the boaters who caught the marvelous footage of one of these giant sea turtles were respectful!
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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