# Loggerhead Sea Turtle (*Caretta caretta*) The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is a big turtle with a strong jaw. They love to swim in the ocean and can dive deep to find food! - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Oceans and coastal areas - **Also known as:** Caretta Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle ![Loggerhead Sea Turtle](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424486/objects/5636.jpg) ## Appearance The Loggerhead Sea Turtle has a large, reddish-brown, heart-shaped shell and a distinctive oversized head with powerful jaws. Its plastron is typically yellowish, and it uses four strong flippers for swimming. This makes it visually different from other sea turtles by its head size and shell color. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Testudines - **Order:** Testudines - **Family:** Cheloniidae - **Genus:** Caretta ## Interesting facts - Baby Loggerheads' gender is decided by the temperature of the sand in their nest! - Many female Loggerheads return to the exact beach where they were born to lay their own eggs. - Some Loggerheads travel thousands of miles across oceans to find food or mates! - They can drink saltwater because special glands remove extra salt from their bodies. ## Special abilities - **Shell Crusher:** Loggerhead Sea Turtle has incredibly strong jaws that help them crush the hard shells of crabs and clams. - **Ocean Navigator:** Loggerhead Sea Turtle can sense Earth's magnetic field, helping them navigate vast ocean distances to nesting sites. - **Deep Diver:** Loggerhead Sea Turtle can hold its breath and dive hundreds of meters deep to find food on the ocean floor. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 70-110 cm - **Weight:** 80-200 kg - **Lifespan:** 50-70 years - **Speed:** 24 km/h - **Swim Speed:** 2.5 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 80-120 - **Incubation:** 45-80 days - **Maximum Depth:** 280 m ## Diet & Feeding Loggerhead Sea Turtles mainly eat crunchy ocean creatures like crabs, clams, and sea urchins. - **Age differences:** Juveniles eat more floating plankton and pelagic invertebrates, while adults focus on benthic, hard-shelled prey. - **Primary Foods:** Crabs, Conchs, Clams, Sea urchins, Jellyfish - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Tiger Shark](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tiger-shark) (*Galeocerdo cuvier*) — Large adults are sometimes preyed upon by Tiger Sharks. - **Eaten by:** [Bull Shark](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bull-shark) (*Carcharhinus leucas*) — Known to prey on juvenile Loggerhead Sea Turtles. - **Eats:** Hermit Crab (*Pagurus pollicaris*) — A common part of the Loggerhead's diet of hard-shelled invertebrates. - **Symbiotic with:** Turtle Barnacle (*Chelonibia testudinaria*) — Attaches to the turtle's shell, hitching a ride through the ocean. ## Traits - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Thermoregulating](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/thermoregulating): Thermoregulating organisms maintain a stable internal body temperature despite fluctuations in the external environment. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Armored](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/armored): Armored describes animals protected by a hard, external covering or shell for defense. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) - [Reptiles & Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles-and-amphibians) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Look but don’t touch. Keep a safe distance and wash hands after exploring. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Loggerhead Sea Turtle? Compare shell shape, shell markings, head stripes and the shape of the feet. Wear, age and algae can hide shell patterns. Turtle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Loggerhead Sea Turtle? 70-110 cm ### How much does Loggerhead Sea Turtle weigh? 80-200 kg ### How long does Loggerhead Sea Turtle live? 50-70 years ### How fast can Loggerhead Sea Turtle move? 24 km/h ### What does Loggerhead Sea Turtle eat? Loggerhead Sea Turtles mainly eat crunchy ocean creatures like crabs, clams, and sea urchins. ### How fast can Loggerhead Sea Turtle swim? 2.5 km/h ### Where is Loggerhead Sea Turtle usually found? Oceans and coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Brunswick Old Town Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brunswick-old-town-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Oklahoma Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/oklahoma-aquarium) — Oklahoma, US · Zoo - [South Carolina Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-carolina-aquarium) — US · Aquarium - [Texas State Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/texas-state-aquarium) — Texas, US · Zoo - [SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sea-life-minnesota-aquarium) — Minnesota, US · Zoo - [South Carolina Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-carolina-aquarium-us) — US · Zoo [View all places to see Loggerhead Sea Turtle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/loggerhead-sea-turtle) ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Loggerhead Sea Turtle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/loggerhead-sea-turtle)