Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Caretta caretta · Reptile. Vertebrate. Cold-blooded. Wild.
Animal Family
Cheloniidae, order Testudines, class Reptilia
Animal Category
Marine Animal, Endangered Species
Breed / Variety
Caretta caretta (nominal species); two distinct subpopulations recognized in Atlantic and Indo-Pacific.
Conservation Status
Vulnerable (IUCN). Population trend is generally decreasing. Threatened by bycatch in fishing gear, habitat loss on nesting beaches, and pollution.
About This Creature
Large marine turtle with a reddish-brown carapace and a yellowish plastron. Known for having a disproportionately large head and powerful jaws. Adults typically weight between 70 to 170 kg and measure 90 cm in shell length.
Physical Characteristics
Heart-shaped carapace, large blocky head, powerful jaws, and two pairs of prefrontal scales. Limbs are modified into large flippers for swimming. Carapace is reddish-brown while skin ranges from yellow to brown.
Behavior & Temperament
Solitary and migratory, traveling thousands of miles between foraging grounds and nesting beaches. Mostly diurnal. Females display natal homing, returning to the beach where they hatched to lay eggs.
Habitat & Diet
Origin Region
Found throughout the world's temperate and tropical oceans across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.
Habitat
Ocean and Coral Reefs. Aquatic and semi-aquatic (nesting on beaches). Primarily marine/pelagic.
Diet & Nutrition
Carnivore/Omnivore. Primarily feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates like crabs, whelks, conchs, and sea urchins. Uses powerful jaws to crush hard shells.
Lifespan & Health
Wild lifespan estimated 47–67 years. Sexually mature at 17–33 years. Threats include sharks and human activity. Females lay 3 to 5 nests per season, each with ~100 eggs.
Special Characteristics
Capable of long-distance navigation using the Earth's magnetic field. Cultural significance in marine conservation efforts. One of the largest hard-shelled turtles.
Ecological Information
Keystone species; their foraging helps maintain the health of seagrass beds and coral reefs. They carry a diverse community of epibionts (like barnacles) on their shells, acting as a floating ecosystem.