Close up of a Loggerhead Turtle
Baby Loggerhead Turtle
Loggerhead Turtle escapes a fishing net
Loggerhead Turtle at the Gerogia Aquarium
Country: Other, Location: Found in SE United States, Italy, Greece, Australia, Carribean, and many other countries and waters around the world.
About
Loggerhead Turtle Birth and Early Life
The life of a Loggerhead Turtle begins when the female nesting season commences, which is anywhere from March to July depending on their location. Female Loggerheads make their way onto sandy beaches to lay eggs, which is the only time they ever leave the ocean. They dig a hole, and lay anywhere from 70 to 150 leathery-shelled eggs which they bury, and then leave unattended. The nests are often prey to birds, crabs, and wild pigs during this vulnerable time.
During the next two months the babies develop inside the eggs. Temperature has a marked effect on the development of the eggs, both in gestation and gender. If the temperature is warmer the eggs develop more quickly and the babies become female. Colder temperatures lead to slower development and male babies. Gender is determined by temperature because Loggerhead Turtles have no sex chromosomes.
Once the gestation is complete the babies hatch and crawl out of the nest, usually during night as this is the safest time to make their mad dash to the sea. During this time the babies are very vulnerable and easy prey for birds or other predators. When they hatch, the wee Loggerheads make their way towards the lights that reflect off of the water, thus any house lights or other illumination on the beach can get them fatally turned around.
Once the babies make it into the sea they swim furiously until they reach currents that carry them to their nesting grounds, one of which is the Sargasso Sea. They rest and grow in the safety of the seaweed until they hit maturity at anywhere from 2-5 years.
Adulthood
Once the Loggerhead Turtle reaches adulthood he becomes relatively safe in the sea, with his main predators being sharks and humans. A Loggerhead Turtle's favorite foods include mollusks, fish, crustaceans, and Portuguese Man O'War, which are not poisonous to the Loggerhead. Rather than mating on beaches as other sea turtles do, the Loggerhead mates on the routes between feeding and nesting areas, in the ocean.
The Loggerhead Turtle can be extremely long lived animal, with the oldest recorded age at over 190 years old. In the wild they can expect to live at least 30 years, but often more. A fully grown Loggerhead can reach up to 42 inches in length and 800 pounds, making them one of the largest amphibians in the ocean. At maturity the turtle can submerge himself for seven hours before needing air, and he only needs to surface for seven minutes to fill up his air supply.
Reason they are engangered
Human Interference
The Loggerhead Turtle resides on the endangered species list due solely to human intervention. Initially the Loggerhead Turtle was hunted as a valuable source of meat, eggs, and fat, which was used in cosmetics. Their shells were also very valuable and used for making items like combs.
In modern times the Loggerhead suffers most from inadvertent human destruction. Many turtles fall prey to fishing nets every year, and the propellers of motor boats often clip the Loggerheads, maiming or killing them effortlessly.
Baby Loggerhead Turtles are vulnerable to ravages of predators on the beach like dogs, crabs, raccoons, and birds. Human travel on beaches can also destroy a nest and the babies inside.
How you can help
One of the main things you can do to help the Loggerhead Turtle is to respect his space, especially if you live in areas where Loggerhead Turtles nest or swim. Watch the water if you are boating, and look for signs of a nest on the beach. If you find one inform your local fish and game department, they may place a barrier around the nest to protect it from humans or other predators.
Also, lobby for fishermen to use nets with a TED, or Turtle Excluder Device, which allows turtles to swim harmlessly out of fishing nets. Find out which seafood companies support this technology, and give them your business.
With effort and persistence hopefully the Loggerhead Turtle will be restored to healthy numbers once again.
