The Incredible Journey of a 2,019-Pound Leatherback Turtle to Cardiff Museum

Sea turtles are among the oldest types of animals alive today, having been around since the time of the dinosaurs. These magnificent reptiles rarely spend time on land and can reach a weight of around 1,500 pounds.

But just how big can sea turtles get? How do sea turtles compare to other turtle species? We’ll look at the largest sea turtle in the world and then take a peek at the largest sea turtle ever found in the world’s oceans.

The Background on Sea Turtles

Sea turtles are found all around the world except for the polar regions. There are seven species of sea turtle in the world, which includes six hardshell species: the hawksbill, olive ridley, Kemp’s ridley, green, loggerhead, and flatback.  

The final and largest species is the leatherback, which has a more supple shell. Leatherback sea turtles can reach up to 1,500 pounds and have an average length of 5 feet. They also dive deeper and travel further than any of the other species, holding the title of the largest non-crocodilian reptile in the world.

Although leatherbacks are the largest species of sea turtle, the others can get pretty big too. Green sea turtles are the next largest species, with an average weight of 300 pounds and a length of 4.5 feet. The third largest species is the loggerhead, reaching 4 feet while weighing an average of 250 pounds. There is no size difference between males and females in any of the sea turtle species.

The Largest Sea Turtle Ever Recorded

The world record for the largest sea turtle was set in 1988 on Harlech Beach in Gwynedd, Wales. A male leatherback turtle washed ashore after becoming tangled in fishing nets. This giant set several records, measuring 9 feet and 5.5 inches from the tip of its beak to the tip of its tail. He weighed a massive 2,019 pounds. He was also estimated to be around 100 years old at the time of his death.

Incredibly, the Wildlife Trust received a phone call from a farmer saying that a “monster” had washed up on the beach. Upon hearing the news of this huge specimen, Cardiff Museum immediately said that they wanted it. After arriving at the museum, a crane attempted to lift the giant turtle. However, it was so heavy that it caused all of the weight warning alarms to go off on the crane.

The massive leatherback was preserved and has been on display in the National Museum of Wales since 1990.

Giant Sea Turtles From Long Ago: A 15-Foot-Long Prehistoric Species

Today, the largest sea turtles in the world are leatherbacks that can reach more than nine feet long. However, the largest sea turtle to ever live was named Archelon, roaming the Earth during the time of dinosaurs.

Archelon measured up to 15 feet in length from its head to tail. When measuring flipper to flipper, Archelon was 13 feet wide. This giant ancient sea turtle weighed up to 4,900 pounds — roughly 2.5 times the size of today’s largest sea turtles!

How Do Sea Turtles Compare with Other Turtles?

Despite not being as large as the now-extinct sea turtles from the Late Cretaceous period, sea turtles nowadays are still larger than other types of turtles. The loggerhead and green sea turtles are among the largest hardshell turtles alive today. However, the leatherback is the largest reptile in the order Testudines, which includes all turtles, terrapins, and tortoises.

By comparison, the largest land turtle is the alligator snapping turtle, which reaches a length of 30 inches and a weight of 225 pounds. Even the largest freshwater turtle — the Yangtze softshell turtle — only reaches a length of 39 inches and has a weight of 220 pounds. Sea turtles are far, far larger than any of their counterparts.