Which turtle can dive deeper than any other living sea turtle?

The leatherback sea turtle can dive deeper than any other living sea turtle.

Leatherbacks have been recorded descending to at least 1,280 metres. Their flexible, leathery shell differs fundamentally from the hard shells of other sea turtles, and their large bodies help them withstand the pressure of deep water.

The species specializes in eating jellyfish and other gelatinous animals. Deep diving lets leatherbacks follow prey into colder, darker layers of the ocean, although they also travel close to the surface during long migrations.

Leatherbacks are the largest living turtles and the most widely distributed sea turtles. They can enter waters near both polar regions, yet they return to tropical and subtropical beaches to lay eggs. Their conservation is complicated by accidental capture in fishing gear, plastic pollution and the loss of nesting beaches.