A giant leatherback turtle has washed up on the beach in Trepassey on the southern Avalon.
The massive reptiles are occasional visitors to Newfoundland waters in the late summer and early fall.
Leatherbacks are the largest turtles alive, and as their name suggests, they don’t have a typical boney shell, but a thick leathery back.
They can reach lengths of close to 9 feet, and can weigh up to 1,100 pounds.
Leatherbacks have been known to get caught in fishing gear, but what caused the demise of this particular animal is not immediately clear.
