The Loggerhead Sea Turtle

The loggerhead sea turtle is known for its large head. It is a member of the Caretta family, “caretta” being based on the French word “caret” which means sea turtle, tortoise or turtle. Loggerhead turtles are the most common sea turtle that nest in the United States and most of the nests can be found in Southern Florida, though there have also been nests found in Texas and Virginia as well.

The nests need to have little light and after a sixty day incubation period, baby loggerhead turtles emerge from their nests during the night because there are fewer predatory threats during the night and they are more likely to make it from the nest to the water without being captured or harmed. They find their way to the water using the brightest light at the edge of the ocean. This means that artificial light (like light shining through the windows of a home) can easily lead them off their path. When they finally get to the water, they use the current of the ocean to lead them to the Sargasso Sea. The Sargasso Sea is where they will live until they are mature, using the Sargassum as protection. Loggerhead sea turtles can live for more than thirty years and some can even live longer than fifty years.

While the loggerhead sea turtle is usually known to migrate to warmer waters, some loggerhead turtles hibernate instead. During the month of February, for example, the loggerhead sea turtle can stay submerged for as long as seven hours and to recover, they only have to emerge for seven minutes. These dives are the second longest of any marine vertebrate that breathes air.

The loggerhead sea turtle used to be massively hunted. In addition to wanting their meat and eggs, the fat of loggerhead turtles has been used in medications and in cosmetics. Some of the loggerhead sea turtles are hunted and killed for their shells, which are often used to make personal items like combs. Now, however, both of the loggerhead sea turtle subspecies are protected and it is illegal to hunt them and to kill them.

Thanks to this protection, the loggerhead turtles' major threat comes from crab fishing nets and shrimp trawls, which accidentally trap the loggerhead turtles and drown them. Some of them are injured by the propellers of speedboats and by swallowing fish hooks. A lot of work has gone into protecting their nesting areas. Workers will find nests, count the eggs and often move the nests to safer places. Plastic fencing is put up around them to protect the nests from dogs and raccoon predators.

If you should come across a baby loggerhead turtle as it makes its way from the nest to the ocean, resist the urge to help it along. The journey from the nest to the water helps the baby build strength for the long journey they will have once they get to the water and helping it get to the water impedes this building of muscle.