Causes of cirrhosis. Common causes of cirrhosis are long-term alcohol abuse, hepatitis B and C infection, and fatty liver disease. Of those, hepatitis B and C together are said to be the leading cause of cirrhosis (WHO).
Leatherbacks have downward pointing spines in their throat, which allows jellyfish to be swallowed, but prevents them from coming back up. Typical Lifespan: Leatherbacks reach maturity at approximately 13 to 14 years. Their average lifespan is unknown, but itâs thought to be at least 30 years. Habitat: Leatherbacks spend most of their lives at sea and sometimes look for prey in coastal waters.
Leatherback turtle consuming a jellyfish off Cape Cod. (NMFS Permit #1557-03). Weighing in at between 550 and 2,000 pounds with lengths of up to six feet, the leatherback is a big turtle! Leatherback sea turtles can be distinguished from other species of sea turtle by its lack of a hard shell or scales. Instead, leatherbacks are covered with a firm, rubbery skin. You can find leatherback sea turtles as far north as Canada and the northern Pacific Ocean. They tend to nest in the tropics, however. Within the United States, the leatherback is known to nest in southeast Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.