Loggerhead Turtle

Common Name: Loggerhead Turtle

Scientific Name: Caretta caretta

Habitat: Prefer to feed in coastal bays and estuaries, as well as in the shallow water along the continental shelves of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. 

Adaptations: Loggerheads nest at intervals of 2 to 4 years. They lay 3 to 6 nests per season, approximately 12 to 14 days apart. Lays average of between 100 to 126 eggs in each nest. Eggs incubate for about 60 days. 

Loggerheads are primarily carnivorous and feed mostly on shellfish that live on the bottom of the ocean. They eat horseshoe crabs, clams, mussels, and other invertebrates. Their powerful jaw muscles help them to easily crush the shellfish.

Status: Under the U.S. Federal Endangered Species Loggerhead Turtles are listed as threatened. Internationally speaking they are listed as endangered. They face a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. 

Current Issues: The greatest threat these turtles face is the loss of their nesting habitat due to coastal development, predation of nests, and human disturbances. These all cause disorientations during the emergence of hatchlings. Other major threats include incidental capture in longline fishing, shrimp trawling and pollution. These captures in fisheries is thought to have played a significant role in the recent population declines observed for the loggerhead. 

Why I chose this animal: I chose this animal because its unique appearance. The Loggerhead is known for its abnormally large head.