A species that may travel thousands of miles across ocean basins, loggerheads are in grave danger due to worldwide habitat loss and incidental capture in fisheries.

In the North Atlantic Ocean, post-hatchlings and small juveniles swim with mats of Sargassum seaweed for years before returning to nearshore areas off the USA east coast as large immatures.  It can take Loggerheads 20 to more than 30 years to reach sexual maturity.

Scientific Name

Caretta caretta

Status

Endangered

Distribution

Circumglobal; nesting areas in tropics to sub-tropics, non-nesting range extends to temperate region.

Body size (adults)

Length 70-100 cm; mass up to 250 kg

Diet

For all life stages, mostly benthic invertebrates (e.g. crabs of all types, other crustaceans; mollusks) and sometimes jellies.

Reproduction

Every 2-4 yr; ~2-5 clutches of eggs per season; 80-120 eggs per clutch; eggs ~30-40 grams (larger than ping pong balls); hatchlings emerge after ~60 days of incubation (are ~30-40mm in length and weigh ~20-25 grams).