98 
David S. Lee and William M. Palmer 
miles from the beach (see Caretta discussion). We conclude that, with few 
exceptions, leatherbacks confine their activities to the shallow waters 
over the continental shelf but normally remain well away from the beach, 
although long range migrants may travel more direct open-water routes. 
LazelPs (1980) records were all from well inside the 183 m contour, but he 
considered this to be a result of the distribution of food organisms {Cya- 
nea). Pritchard (1976) noted, however, that although his recapture 
localities made this species appear to be a coastal form, individuals cap- 
tured had ventured atypically close to shore. He also noted that the 
integument of the leatherback is so delicate that prolonged or preferred 
residence in shallow water is improbable, since even occasional contact 
with rocks or coral would likely cause extensive damage to the animals. 
Our limited data indicate that Dermochelys, at this latitude, tends to 
remain inshore over the continental shelf and not to venture regularly 
into water over 500 fathoms deep (see Figure 1 and Table 1). We have, 
though, only limited experience past the 1000 fathom contour. Since this 
turtle is assumed to be a surface feeder, water depth would appear to be 
inconsequential. 
In further support of our belief that the leatherback normally frequents 
shallow shelf waters rather than those of the open sea, we provide the 
following records from Bermuda waters, kindly supplied by David B. 
Wingate, Conservation Officer for Bermuda: 14 July 1835 (7 ft. long, 
estimated weight 1200 lb.); 8 August 1967 (81/2 ft. long from head to tip of 
tail, estimated weight 1 100 lb.; tangled in a fishing net and drifting help- 
lessly); 9 December 1972 ( 4 ft. 9 in. from tip of head to tip of tail, 
estimated weight 400 lb.; length of carapace 3 ft. V/z in.; width of shell 
around curvature at widest point 2 ft. 9 in.; span of forelimbs tip to tip 6 
ft.; washed ashore dead on Coopers Point, Bermuda). Wingate noted that 
other individuals are occasionally sighted by fishermen, but no dates have 
been recorded. In view of the long involvement the citizens of Bermuda 
have had with the sea in general and sea turtles in particular, the limited 
number of records of Dermochelys from Bermuda indicates that it infre- 
quently occurs in open sea areas there. 
Additionally, Ralph W. Harvard and Howard E. Inspahr (Sula Pelagic 
Expeditions), and Charles D. Duncan, University of Alabama, Bir- 
mingham, reported to us records of 14 live and 3 dead leatherbacks in the 
Northern Gulf of Mexico (Daulphin Island, Alabama, area). Two of the 
three dead individuals were believed by them to have drowned in shrimp 
nets. Period of occurrence ranged from May to September (1975-80). 
“All sightings were in shallow green water (20-150 ft.) and always near a 
tide line. The food seems to be large jellyfish.” David Rupke, Louisiana 
State University, reported three individuals from 500 m off Horn Island, 
Mississippi, on 23 June 1980. They were in approximately 4 m of water. 
