Known as the largest of the hard-shelled turtles, the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) is an oceanic turtle with a broad habitat range with populations found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Within this large distribution, it prefers to dwell in shallow, open waters of coastlines and will travel far to reach these desired habitats. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is omnivorous and considered a keystone species due to its diet, providing food for other animals at the bottom of the ocean through its expelled waste. Its size also makes it the second largest existing turtle following the Leatherback Sea Turtle.
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle has a carapace length between 30”-42” (76-107 cm), carapace width of 24”-33.5” (61-85 cm), body height of 12.6”-18.1” (32-46 cm), and weight in the range of 154-375 lb (70-170 kg). The typical lifespan of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle is between 45-60 years in the wild and 50-77 years in captivity.
Known as the largest of the hard-shelled turtles, the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) is an oceanic turtle with a broad habitat range with populations found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Within this large distribution, it prefers to dwell in shallow, open waters of coastlines and will travel far to reach these desired habitats. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is omnivorous and considered a keystone species due to its diet, providing food for other animals at the bottom of the ocean through its expelled waste. Its size also makes it the second largest existing turtle following the Leatherback Sea Turtle.
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle has a carapace length between 30”-42” (76-107 cm), carapace width of 24”-33.5” (61-85 cm), body height of 12.6”-18.1” (32-46 cm), and weight in the range of 154-375 lb (70-170 kg). The typical lifespan of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle is between 45-60 years in the wild and 50-77 years in captivity.
