Skip to main content

Story: Beachcombing

Leatherback turtle

Image
Leatherback turtle

Things that die in the sea and sink to the sea floor are eventually eaten, or wash up on beaches. In northern New Zealand creatures from subtropical waters sometimes fetch up on the beach. This 2-metre turtle, weighing about 250 kilograms, was found in the Manukau Harbour in 2005.

Using this item

New Zealand Herald

Reference: 24 May 2005

by Glenn Jeffrey

Permission of the New Zealand Herald must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Carl Walrond, Beachcombing – Beachcombing, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/7191/leatherback-turtle (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Carl Walrond, published 2 March 2009.