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How deep can leatherback sea turtles dive?

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Illustrations of ten representative chelonians, including spiny softshell turtle, Galapagos giant tortoise, green turtle, alligator snapping turtle, Blanding's turtle, common map turtle, eastern box turtle, eastern painted turtle, spotted turtle, and eastern mud turtle, each labeled with its common and scientific name. A scale bar at the bottom shows size comparison. — turtle Turtles (order Testudines).

Leatherback sea turtles are highly skilled divers capable of reaching depths of 1,200 metres (about 4,000 feet).1

While these reptiles must surface to breathe air, they possess unique physiological adaptations that allow them to remain underwater for up to 85 minutes. In addition to their diving capabilities, they can expel waste gases through their skin, which helps them manage the physiological challenges of deep-sea environments.1