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.

Storlek

0.8–1.2 meter (sköldlängd)

Vikt

80–200 kg

Livslängd

50–67 år

Status

Sårbar

Var du hittar dem

Bästa dykplatser

Azorerna, PortugalZakynthos, GreklandFlorida, UsaOmanNingaloo Reef, Australien

Dyktips

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.

Bästa säsong

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

Livsmiljö

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

Föda

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