Photo by Brian Gratwicke. CC BY 2.0
Latin Name: Caretta caretta
Species: Reptile
Conservation Status: S3 - Vulnerable
Loggerhead sea turtles start life as hatchlings only 1.3-2 inches long, weighing less than an ounce. Adults are usually 33-48 inches long and can weight up to 350 pounds. They have a rich reddish-brown color. Their heads are proportionately larger than other sea turtles, which is the source of their name. All of their limbs are flippers, and the front flippers have 2 claws that they use as scrapers to clean the shell of attaching organisms like barnacles.
Range & Habitat (map)
Loggerhead sea turtles are found in warm temperate to tropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, but are most abundant along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. During the warm months, they may reach as far north as Newfoundland. They can be found way out at sea or inshore, often taking advantage of feeding opportunities presented by coral reefs, ship wrecks, and rocky places.
Diet
Loggerhead sea turtles are carnivores and opportunistic feeders, known to prey on sea jellies, barnacles, crabs, and mollusks.
Life History
Sea turtles mate during the spring and females lay eggs April through September, sometimes 2-3 times in a season. Females make their nests at night near dunes behind the open beach and show strong site fidelity, often returning to the same area to nest. They will lay 47-186 eggs which will hatch in approximately 4 days. Hatchlings make their way to the water and are pelagic, meaning they stay in the upper layers of the open sea. They use wave direction and earth’s magnetic field to direct them to the giant ocean gyre and Sargasso Sea, where they spend several years. At 7-12 years old, they will return to inshore waters to complete their development. Most juvenile and adult loggerheads in inshore waters spend up to 95% of their time submerged, either resting or feeding near the bottom. They can live up to 80 years.
Significance
Loggerhead sea turtles are South Carolina’s state reptile, and one of the most iconic representations of our beautiful beaches. Beaches all around the Port Royal Sound area, from Hilton Head Island to Hunting Island, see hundreds of sea turtles nests each year. Keeping this nesting habitat suitable and safe for these sea turtles is critical to protect these animals and allow us to enjoy them for years to come.
Threats & How You Can Help
Loggerhead sea turtles face many threats, including light pollution that can confuse the hatchlings’ route to the sea, boat strikes, and plastic consumption. Many commercial fishing operations have installed turtle excluder devices on their trawls to prevent turtles from getting stuck in the nets and drowning. To keep beaches suitable for nesting loggerheads, it is important to fill any holes you make in the sand, use a red filter flashlight when walking on beaches at night during nesting season, and don’t litter.