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How large can leatherback sea turtles grow?

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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).

The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is the largest living turtle and one of the largest living reptiles in the world.1

Adult leatherbacks can grow up to 2.4 metres (about 8 feet) in length and reach weights of up to 900 kg (about 2,000 pounds). Some researchers consider this species to be the world’s heaviest reptile. In addition to their massive bodies, they possess long, paddle-shaped front flippers that often span 2.7 metres (roughly 9 feet), which assist them in swimming long distances across the world's oceans.12