Leatherback Sea Turtle (Marine Life by Papo)

Review and images by JimoAi; edited by bmathison1972

The leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is a species of sea turtle and the sole member of Dermochelyidae family. It is the largest and heaviest reptile alive today that isn’t a crocodilian (disclaimer: while many snakes like reticulated pythons and anacondas are twice the length of these turtles, they are way lighter). They’re also the fastest of the turtles, reaching swimming speeds of 35km/h and attaining sizes of 100-175 cm for carapace length and 183-220 cm for total length, although the largest one had a carapace length of 213 cm. Leatherbacks are mostly dark blue or grey with some speckling, and unlike other sea turtles, leatherbacks do not have a hard shell, but instead covered by leathery skin as well as being to maintain its body temperature in cold water due to a thick layer of fat. These turtles are found in tropical and sub tropical waters and its range even extends to the Artic Circle. These turtles prey primarily on jellyfish, but may also eat seaweed, small fish, crustaceans and other inverts, and are in turn hunted by large sharks and killer whales. Like all other sea turtles, they are a threatened species and are classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to entanglement in fishing gear, loss of breeding grounds, and mistaking plastic bags for jellyfish. These turtles are a migratory species that is adapted to a pelagic lifestyle, and for that reason, it is impossible to house these great reptiles in captivity.

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About the figure: this leatherback sea turtle is 9.7 cm in total length and 7.4 in carapace length, putting it in the 1:14 to 1:28 scale range. The figure is sculpted in a neutral pose with the head slightly raised up and flippers folded as if it’s representing a female crawling onto a beach to lay her eggs.

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The accuracy is spot-on for this figure. The teardrop shape of the carapace is unmistakably a leatherback’s. The paint of bluish grey with light grey spots is a trademark of the species. The sculpting of the figure is spot on: the nostrils, mouth, and eyes are clearly defined and the eyes is a glossy black, unlike the Safari with white around them. Wrinkles adorn the neck and all 4 flippers. The ridges on the shell are nicely textured and the underbelly us adorn with yellowish spots on the flippers and streaks on the plastron.

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The faults of the figure are very minor and it comes down to the seam on the head, which is uncanny to some, as well as the size of the figure. I’d like this figure to be at least 5 inches long as Papo’s alligator snapping turtle is larger. These minor nitpicks don’t distract from the fact that this is the best figure of the species made thus far!

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This figure was first released in 2014 and was sadly retired around 2019 from what I assume is poor sales. If you’re looking to chase this figure down, fret not! It’s returning later this year and it’s been confirmed to be the exact same figure due to the serial number being the exact same. The leatherback has been made twice by Safari Ltd. and comparing the newer one with the Papo, I like the size of Safari’s better but the accuracy of Papo is better. Currently, the Safari is the one in my main shelf but I may rotate the Papo back in if I find it’s needed. Colorata also made leatherbacks in a similar size range, which have gone through many paint variants, as well as including a baby. CollectA is nice too, but due to the small size and head proportions, it’s more of a young animal as opposed to an adult. It is to be hoped that Schleich can tackle this species, as well as Papo making a hawksbill or a definitive green sea turtle.

Comparison of Papo (bottom) to Safari Ltd. (top):

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Compared with its distant relative: the Favorite Co. Archelon:

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