The most comprehensive book ever written on leatherback sea turtles. Weighing as much as 2,000 pounds and reaching lengths of over seven feet, leatherback turtles are the world’s largest reptile. These unusual sea turtles have a thick, pliable shell that helps them to withstand great depths—they can swim more than one thousand meters below the surface in search of food. And what food source sustains these goliaths? Their diet consists almost exclusively of jellyfish, a meal they crisscross the oceans to find. Leatherbacks have been declining in recent decades, and some predict they will be gone by the end of this century. Why? Because of two primary factors: human redevelopment of nesting beaches and commercial fishing. There are only twenty-nine index beaches in the world where these turtles nest, and there is immense pressure to develop most of them into homes or resorts. At the same time, longline and gill net fisheries continue to overwhelm waters frequented by leatherbacks. In The Leatherback Turtle, James R. Spotila and Pilar Santidrián Tomillo bring together the world’s leading experts to produce a volume that reveals the biology of the leatherback while putting a spotlight on the conservation problems and solutions related to the species. The book leaves us with options: embark on the conservation strategy laid out within its pages and save one of nature’s most splendid creations, or watch yet another magnificent species disappear.

Most of the islands of the Caribbean have long histories of herpetological exploration and discovery, and even longer histories of human-mediated environmental degradation. Collectively, they constitute a major biodiversity hotspot – a region rich in endemic species that are threatened with extinction. This two-volume series documents the existing status of herpetofaunas (including sea turtles) of the Caribbean, and highlights conservation needs and efforts. Previous contributions to West Indian herpetology have focused on taxonomy, ecology and evolution, particularly of lizards. This series provides a unique and timely review of the status and conservation of all groups of amphibians and reptiles in the region. This volume provides regional accounts of the islands of the West Indies biogeographic region: Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; The Bahamas; Barbados; The British Virgin Islands; The Cayman Islands; The Commonwealth of Dominica; The Dominican Republic; The Dutch Windward Islands of St. Eustatius, Saba and St. Maarten; The French West Indies; Grenada; The Grenadines; Jamaica; Martinique; Puerto Rico; St. Vincent; The Turks and Caicos Islands; The United States Virgin Islands. Each account discusses the conservation problems of the herpetofauna and their solutions, in a region made up of islands of diverse ecology and political systems. The book will be useful to biologists and conservationists working in or visiting the Caribbean, and internationally as a summary of the current situation in the region.