World Oceans Day is Sunday, June 8: A look at sea turtles in our waters

Sunday, June 8 is World Oceans Day and we’re going to look at California’s state sea reptile as well as other turtles in our waters.

One or more of the seven species of sea turtles can be found in every ocean. Six species are threatened or endangered. Four can be seen off California including the largest, the leatherback. Sea turtles face a variety of hazards. Major threats in the United States include damage and changes to nesting and foraging habitats, accidental capture during fishing, entanglement in marine debris and collisions with vessels.

The Pacific leatherback sea turtle became the state marine reptile in 2012. It is the largest turtle and one of the largest living reptiles. This species has a soft, leathery shell, whereas most turtles have a hard shell. They typically surface