Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, South Africa

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The Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, located on South Africa's extreme northeastern coast, is the crown jewel of the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park. This 10,000 hectare (24,700 acre) network of lakes, pans, marshes, swamps and streams attracts families in search of adventure in its extreme. Observe leatherback and loggerhead turtles nest and hatch. Test your endurance on a 4-day trek along the Nhlange Hiking Trail. Snorkel along the coral reef. Bask in the sun on silver sand beaches. Spot antelope, hippo, crocodile and a plethora of birds, over 250 species have been recorded here. Watch humpback whales from shore. Discover the Tsonga (also spelled Thonga) people known from their primitive, yet ingenious, fish traps. And while the reserve may be set to become a grand place of modern-day explorers, for now, it is a true ecotourism hideaway.

Fun Facts about Leatherback Turtles

Fun Facts about Leatherback Turtles Photo Gallery

There are lots of fun facts about Leatherback Turtles. Did you know that:

Leatherback turtles are the largest turtle and fourth largest reptile in the world. The largest leatherback ever found weighed 900 kilograms (nearly 2000 pounds) and measured 3.1 meters (10.2 feet) long.
The leatherback turtle is the only turtle that doesn't have a shell. Instead of hard bony plates the leatherback has rubbery, flexible skin.
Female leatherbacks come ashore in bands to lay eggs in holes they dig in the sand. Male leatherbacks never leave the water.
Leatherbacks live in tropical and subtropical oceans but they are known to frequent cold waters as well.
Leatherback turtles feed on jellyfish and other soft-bodied sea animals.
The leatherback is an endangered species and it is the last surviving member of the Dermochelys species.