Ministry of Environment specialists are on the watch for Leatherback Turtles, as reported in El Nuevo Diario. They have begun their program for monitoring this highly endangered species that uses beaches along the Dominican coastline for nesting. These turtles return to the areas of their birth, which include beaches like Playa Coson in Las Terrenas, Playa El Valle in Samana, Playa La Vacama in Higuey, Playa Cabarete in Puerto Plata, Saona Island and Playa San Luis/Mosquea in Oviedo. The Leatherback has been on the Endangered Species list since 1970. It is the largest of the marine turtles and can be well over six feet long and weigh more than half a ton. Its shell is soft and its beak is made to eat jellyfish. The females like nesting on beaches with strong wave action because it helps them get up on the beach. They lay between 100 and 150 eggs and it takes about 60 days for them to hatch.