Uploaded December 2021 | Updated September 2026, 9 hours ago
Leatherback sea turtles are the largest sea turtle on Earth and yet their diet is almost entirely made up of jellyfish! The throats of leatherbacks have these spikes, called papillae, that help move and cut up slippery jellyfish as they move down their digestive tract. Unfortunately, plastic bags and other plastic pollution floating in the ocean looks a lot like jellyfish, and are often mistaken for food by leatherbacks and other marine animals. This is just another reason why we need to end the plastic disaster facing our oceans. You can learn more and take action at: oceana.ca/en/our-campaigns/plastics/.
Leatherback sea turtles are the largest sea turtle on Earth and yet their diet is almost entirely made up of jellyfish! The throats of leatherbacks have these spikes, called papillae, that help move and cut up slippery jellyfish as they move down their digestive tract. Unfortunately, plastic bags and other plastic pollution floating in the ocean looks a lot like jellyfish, and are often mistaken for food by leatherbacks and other marine animals. This is just another reason why we need to end the plastic disaster facing our oceans. You can learn more and take action at: oceana.ca/en/our-campaigns/plastics/.
