……objective science for conservation…….

The Pacific WildLife Foundation is a non-profit coastal and marine research and education society  that inspires an appreciation for objective scientific research and conservation of the ocean. We conduct original research, develop novel education programs, and inspire an appreciation for conservation of the ocean. 

Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle Distribution & Migration

Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle Distribution Map

Leatherbacks turtles that nest in Malaysia and Indonesia cross the Pacific to forage along the west coast of North America. Those nesting in Papua New Guinea migrate to the South Pacific off New Zealand. Turtles born on Mexican and Costa Rican beaches migrate into the southeast Pacific off South America (CEC 2005). The first documented sighting of a leatherback turtle in British Columbia was in 1962 where they are now regularly seen.