In pursuit of the turtle. A journey spanning 200 million years.

- Ancestors of turtles witnessed the rise and fall of the empire of dinosaurs. - The last giant warm-blooded reptile on Earth and the creature closest to dinosaurs that has survived to this day. - The heaviest of all reptiles, the fastest among aquatic turtles, capable of covering incredible distances - more than 11,000 km per year. - Sea leatherback turtles are incredible creatures, as if they came out of ancient legends. Their ancestors roamed the oceans over 200 million years ago, in the times of dinosaurs. They have adapted to the most unsuitable and harsh conditions and have learned to cover giant distances from tropical regions to the polar circle, orienting themselves by an internal compass and the Earth's magnetic field. They can withstand lower temperatures than most fish and dive deeper than whales and sea lions. But today, the fate of this resilient species largely depends on humans. Carl Safina follows the migration routes of sea turtles - from California to Canada and the most remote beaches of Papua New Guinea. He meets with scientists, fishermen, and local residents who have tied their lives to the challenging fate of this species: those who worship them, those who hunt them, and those who study them. Reading this book, you will embark on a fascinating journey through the waters of our planet, where the drama of the lives of turtles, swordfish, sharks, whales, and humans unfolds. In this journey, you will experience thrilling adventures, get acquainted with one of the most amazing creatures inhabiting our planet, and learn how the oceans are changing and how it affects nature and humans. Quotes: - "Speaking of distances traveled by individual specimens, probably not a single whale can match them. And which whale could? After all, leatherback turtles cross entire oceans, and then crawl to their nests on land. Moreover, they dive much deeper than some whales." - "Leatherback turtles, the most fearless of reptiles, prefer inaccessible shores." - "Each leatherback turtle nests about seven times per season with a ten-day interval. And although each nest contains only about 65 or 85 eggs (in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans respectively), due to frequent nesting, they manage to lay an average of 450-600 eggs per season. In this sense, the leatherback turtle is a record holder." - "Only two species of leatherback turtles survived until the Pleistocene and endured the Ice Age. And only one of them survived. So the modern leatherback turtle managed to survive conditions that destroyed all other members of its family about a million years ago." - "Near the shore, in the shallows, the backs of rays glisten, a school of long-finned mackerel patrols, a couple of small sharks can be distinguished. They are all here for one reason: turtle hatchlings are a great source of food. And when one of the mackerel jumps out of the foamy spray for a second, I realize that the short life of one of the tiny turtles swimming towards the ocean has just been interrupted." - "This is what turtles have taught us: do everything you can, regardless of the obstacles you face. Grasp the miracle of life, without thinking about the possibility of failure. Whether you lose or win, all you can do is try your best. That's all you need to know to live on Earth."