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The 'Loggerhead Sea Turtle' (''Caretta caretta'') is a sea turtle and the only member of the genus '''Caretta'''. The genus name "Caretta" is a latinization of the French "caret", meaning turtle, tortoise, or sea turtle^[1].

Contents

Anatomy and morphology

Ecology and life history

Taxonomic history

Conservation

References

See also

External links

Anatomy and morphology

''Caretta caretta'' is characterized by a large head with blunt jaws. It is also identifiable by the five scutes along the middle of the carapace. Adults grow to an average weight of about 200 pounds (about 100 kg), and can reach 1m in length.

Ecology and life history

The species feeds on mollusks, crustaceans, fish, and other marine animals, which they crush with their large and powerful jaw. As with other sea turtles, females return to lay their eggs on or near the same beach where they hatched. Unlike other sea turtles, courtship and mating usually do not take place near the nesting beach, but rather along the migration routes between feeding and breeding grounds.


In the Mediterranean, Loggerheads mate from late March to early June. The female nesting season is at its peak in June and July, but this depends on the nesting beach. The clutch may vary from 100 to 126 eggs. Each egg is about the size and shape of a ping-pong ball. The average interval between nesting seasons is two to three years.
Loggerheads are the most common sea turtle to nest in the United States. With the largest concentration of nests in south Florida they nest from Texas to Virginia, requiring soft sandy beaches, where there is little light. After approximately 60 days, the hatchlings emerge usually at night when protection from predation is greater. Usually following the brightest light to the oceans edge, an artificial light, such as from a home can lead them astray. Once in the ocean they use ocean currents to travel to the Sargasso Sea using the Sargassum as protection until they mature.
An alternative to migration for many loggerheads is hibernation to varying degrees as the water cools. By February they are submerged for up to seven hours at a time, emerging for only seven minutes to recover. Although outdone by freshwater turtles, these are the longest recorded dives for any air-breathing marine vertebrateHochscheid, S., F. Bentivegna & G.C. Hays. (2005) "First records of dive durations for a hibernating sea turtle." ''Biol. Lett.'' '1'(1): 82-6..
Most loggerheads that reach adulthood live for longer than 30 years, and can often live past 50 years. They are immune to the toxins of a Portuguese Man O' War as the turtles have often been seen feeding on them.

Taxonomic history

Two subspecies are recognized: ''Caretta caretta gigas'', is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and ''C. caretta caretta'', the Atlantic loggerhead, also found in south Italy and the Greek islands of Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Crete and the Peloponese and in Dalyan in southwestern Turkey. (see article; June Haimoff).

Conservation

The Loggerhead Sea Turtle was once intensively hunted for their meat and eggs, along with their fat which was used in cosmetics and medication. As a result both subspecies are now internationally protected. Today the main threat to the adult loggerheads lies in the fishing nets of crabfishers, to which many loggerheads annually fall victim. Furthermore, adults are often injured by speedboat propellers and by swallowing fishing hooks or getting caught in nets. Internationally animal protection organizations take pains to monitor and protect the turtles' nesting grounds in Turkey,^[2] Greece, Bonaire and Costa Rica. The turtles can also be found around the Italian islands of Lampedusa and Linosa, off the coast of Sicily, and in Calabria, where it is particularly endangered.

In many places during the nesting season workers search the coastline to find evidence of nests. Once found a nest will be uncovered and the eggs carefully counted, if the nest is dangerously located the eggs will be moved to a better spot. Plastic fencing will be placed at or near the surface to protect the eggs from large predators such as raccoons or even dogs. The barrier used is large enough to allow the hatchlings to emerge without difficulty. The nests are checked daily for disturbances, several days after there is indication that the eggs have hatched the nest will be uncovered and the tally of hatched eggs, undeveloped eggs, and dead hatchlings will be recorded. If any hatchlings are found, they are either taken to be raised and released, or taken to research facilities. Ones that appear strong and healthy may instead be released to the ocean. Typically those that lacked the strength to hatch and climb to the surface by that point would have died otherwise.
Hatchlings require the travel from their nest to the ocean in order to build up strength for the journey ahead, so interfering by helping it to the ocean actually lowers their chances of survival.

References

1. http://www.widecast.org/sea/definitions.cfm
2. Loggerhead Turtles in the Dalyan River, Mulğa Province, Turkey, 2004



★ Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is endangered and the criteria used

★ Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection - Endangered, Threatened & Special Concern Reptiles

See also

★ ''Chelonioidea''. The sea turtle superfamily.

★ ''Chelonia mydas''. The green turtle.

★ ''Dermochelys coriacea''. The leatherback turtle.

★ ''Eretmochelys imbricata''. The hawksbill turtle.

★ ''Lepidochelys kempii''. The Kemp's Ridley turtle.

★ ''Lepidochelys olivacea''. The olive ridley turtle.

★ ''Natator depressus''. The flatback turtle.

External links

★ SWOT Report, volume 2 - Featuring the loggerhead nesting beaches of the world along with the most up-to-date information on the global status of loggerhead populations, conservation and natural history.

★ ARKive - images and movies of the loggerhead turtle ''(Caretta caretta)''

★ Loggerhead Sea Turtle

★ Katelios Turtle Group, Kefalonia

★ Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece (Archelon)

★ Florida Sea Turtle information Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

★ Tybee Island, GA Sea Turtle Project

★ Go Zakynthos about Caretta Turtle