Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Overview

The Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) is a widely distributed, migratory marine reptile found in temperate and tropical oceans across the globe, including the Mediterranean Sea. Named for their exceptionally large heads and powerful jaws, they are the largest hard-shelled sea turtles in existence today.

Distribution & habitat

These turtles are cosmopolitan, inhabiting the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Their habitat preferences shift throughout their life cycle; hatchlings head to the open ocean to drift in currents, often associating with floating seaweed mats. As they mature, they transition to coastal waters, frequenting rocky or muddy substrates, coral reefs, salt marshes, and brackish lagoons.

Appearance

Loggerheads possess a distinct, heart-shaped carapace that typically displays a reddish-brown hue with olive tones. Their skin is generally dull to reddish-brown, and their cream-to-yellow plastron features two longitudinal ridges that fade as the animal ages. Their shells are frequently home to various commensal organisms, such as barnacles and algae.

Biology & behavior

Loggerheads are highly migratory and exhibit strong natal homing, with females returning to specific nesting beaches to lay eggs. They are known for complex reproductive strategies, including polyandry, where a single clutch is sired by multiple males. Young turtles spend their early years in a pelagic "nursery" phase, drifting with surface currents for over a decade before settling into coastal home ranges.

Feeding

These turtles are opportunistic generalists. While hatchlings are primarily carnivorous, feeding on pelagic jelly organisms, older juveniles and adults consume a diverse diet including mollusks, crustaceans, sponges, cnidarians, and occasionally algae or terrestrial plants.