Caretta caretta

Loggerhead Turtle

0.8–1.2 meter
50–67 år
Sårbar
Om

Loggerhead Turtle

The loggerhead turtle is named for its exceptionally large head, which houses powerful jaw muscles evolved for crushing hard-shelled prey like conchs, whelks, and horseshoe crabs. It is the most common sea turtle in the Mediterranean and a frequent visitor to temperate Atlantic waters including the Azores, Canary Islands, and the eastern US seaboard. Loggerheads are the most widely studied sea turtle species and play a crucial role in benthic ecosystem health.

Størrelse

0.8–1.2 meter (skjoldlengde)

Vekt

80–200 kg

Levetid

50–67 år

Status

Sårbar

Hvor du finner dem

Beste dykkelokasjoner

Azorene, PortugalZakynthos, HellasFlorida, UsaOmanNingaloo Reef, Australia

Dykketips

Loggerheads are more wary than green or hawksbill turtles. Approach slowly and from the side — never from directly above. They are often seen resting on sandy bottoms or foraging among rocky substrates. In the Mediterranean, look for them near seagrass beds and rocky reefs.

Beste sesong

Year-round in tropical waters; nesting May–August (Atlantic); Azores peak July–October

Habitat

Temperate and subtropical coastal waters, coral reefs, bays, and estuaries in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Mediterranean

Kosthold

Hard-shelled invertebrates — conchs, whelks, horseshoe crabs, sea urchins, and crustaceans
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Morsomme fakta

1

Their powerful jaws can crush the shells of large conchs and horseshoe crabs with ease

2

Loggerhead hatchlings spend their first 7–15 years drifting in open ocean currents before returning to coastal waters

3

They host over 100 species of invertebrates and algae on their shells — more than any other sea turtle

4

The Azores serve as a critical developmental habitat for juvenile loggerheads born in the western Atlantic

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