What Defenders Is Doing to Help Sea Turtles Over the last decade
Defenders of Wildlife has been working tirelessly to protect sea
turtle populations and the habitat they desperately depend on
for survival. Our legal team has brought suits against the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to protect turtles from
fishing-related deaths and our Florida sea turtle experts have
fought to improve coastal lighting, and prevent development and
damaging shoreline armoring projects at some of the most
important nesting beaches in Florida. Visit our Species at Risk:
Sea Turtles page to learn more about what Defenders is doing to
protect sea turtles. Size: Kemp's Ridley is the smallest sea
turtle at 30 inches long (.762m). The largest sea turtle is the
leatherback - an adult can reach over six and a half feet long
(over 1.8m). Adult female and male sea turtles are the same
size. Weight: Kemp's Ridley weighs between 80-100lbs (36-45 kg).
Leatherback can weigh over 2,000 pounds (over 907 kg) Lifespan:
Up to 80 years.