The largest turtle alive, five to six feet long and 750 to 1,000 pounds, with no hard shell: seven ridges run down a rubbery black back, and the jaws are built for jellyfish and salps . Leatherbacks can dive to roughly 4,000 feet . Off Texas they are deepwater animals that show up when big jellyfish are blooming . Historic nesting in Texas was recorded on Padre Island in the 1920s and 1930s, before it was a park, and the only modern nest was at the National Seashore in 2008 . Strandings on the Texas coast are rare .
Observe responsibly
Wildlife, tides and access conditions change. Keep a respectful distance, do not feed wildlife, stay out of dunes and marked nesting areas, and use current official rules before fishing or handling any catch.