A dead leatherback sea turtle – considered the largest sea turtle species in the world – has washed up on the coast of Panadura this afternoon (June 03).

The officers of Panadura Coast Guard Station said leatherback turtles are rarely spotted in the sea area around Sri Lanka.

The leatherback turtle washed up on the shores of Panadura is reportedly 6-7 feet long.

Speaking in this regard, Project Leader of Turtle Conservation Project (TCP) Thushan Kapurusinghe explained that leatherback sea turtles usually visit the beaches of tropical islands such as Sri Lanka, Andaman and Nicobar only to lay eggs.

The only time the leatherbacks come ashore is to lay eggs, which they do on sandy, undisturbed beaches. After laying eggs, they immediately return to the sea.

Leatherback sea turtles have been on the list of endangered species since 1970.