Loggerhead Sea Turtles: Life at Sea

LET'S LEARN ABOUT THE LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Cheloniidae
Genus: Caretta
Species: C. caretta

What Are Loggerhead Sea Turtles?
This turtle is named for its large head with strong jaw muscles that help them feed on prey. They are marine reptiles and come to the surface to breathe. As hatchlings, they have the appearance of a deep brownish color. As they reach adulthood, they become reddish brown and tan. No other marine turtle is this color which helps to identify it, along with their upper shell with five vertebral scutes (or plates) that run down the turtles midline, which are bordered by five pairs of costal scutes.

How Big Do They Get?
As a hatchling, they'll be about 1.75 inches long. As they grow to be an adult, they can reach up to 3.5 feet long and weigh up to 400 pounds.

What Do They Eat?
They eat grasses, shellfish, crustaceans, fish, and other marine creatures.

Where Do They Live?
This species live in tropical and subtropical oceans and can be seen along the Pacific coastline of the United States, Hawaii, and sometimes they stray as far north as Alaska. Many adults migrate to nest on beaches in the Bahamas, Cuba, and Mexico.

What is Their Lifespan?
Many can live to the age of 80-years-old. Females reach maturity by age 35 and will return to nest on the beach where they were hatched years earlier. They lay about 100 eggs every 2-3 years.

Are They Endangered?
Yes! They're protected under the Endangered Species Act, which means they're in danger of becoming extinct in the near future. Some of their biggest threats are fishing gear, loss of nesting habitats, vessel strikes, ocean pollution, and climate change. What we can do to help in conservation efforts include reducing ocean trash, keeping our distance from them, protecting nesting habitats, and reporting Marine Life in Destress to local authorities.

COMPANION VIDEOS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE TURTLES

RECOMMENDED READING MATERIALS @ YOUR LIBRARY
	MISSION: SEA TURTLE RESCUE: ALL ABOUT SEA TURTLES AND HOW TO SAVE THEM Author: Karen Romano Young Call Number: J 597.9 YOU True adventure stories, photography, and hands-on activities combine in an introduction to the sea turtle and the ongoing efforts of conservationists to protect the species.
	SEA TURTLE HATCHLINGS by: Ruth Owen Call Number: J 597.92 OWE Series: Water Babies Examines the birth and care of sea turtles, including how they escape from the nest, why they run when they make it out of the nest, and where mother sea turtles lay their eggs.
	GUIDE AND REFERENCE TO THE TURTLES AND LIZARDS OF WESTERN NORTH AMERICA (NORTH OF MEXICO) AND HAWAII by: R.D. Bartlett Call Number 597.92 BAR Accessible, accurate, and up-to-date, with striking color photographs and range mags are provided for those who love snakes...as well as for those who are repulsed by them.
	SEA TURTLES by: Judy Wearing Call Number: J 597.9 WEA Series: World of Wonder Young readers learn all about sea turtles, how they look, where they live, what they eat, and how their eggs are hatched. Includes full color/illustrations, website connections, activities, fact boxes, glossary, and index