Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Loggerhead Sea Turtle Latest News

Mumbai Police personnel recently rescued a distressed 100-kg Loggerhead sea turtle after finding it struggling to swim and floating on the surface of the Arabian Sea.

About Loggerhead Sea Turtle

• It is a species of oceanic turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae.
• Scientific Name: Caretta caretta 
• It is the world’s largest hard-shelled turtle, slightly larger at average and maximum mature weights than the green sea turtle and the Galapagos tortoise.
• It is also the world’s second largest extant turtle after the leatherback sea turtle. 

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Loggerhead Sea Turtle Habitat and Distribution

• Loggerheads live in oceans all over the world, except in the coldest seas. 
• The majority of loggerhead nesting occurs in the western rims of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, primarily in Oman, the United States, and Australia. 
• They may be found hundreds of miles out to sea, as well as in inshore areas such as bays, lagoons, salt marshes, and creeks.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle Features

• Loggerheads are named for their relatively large heads, which support powerful jaws and enable them to feed on hard-shelled prey, such as whelks and conchs.  
• Adult loggerheads typically have shell lengths between 0.9 and 1.2 meters (3 to 4 feet).  
• They have a large, reddish-brown, hard shell; a pale yellow underbelly (or ‘plastron’); and four flippers with two (or sometimes three) claws on each. 
• Adult males are distinguished by long tails that extend beyond the rear carapace and a narrowing of the carapace that tapers towards the rear. 
• They use the geomagnetic field as a map when navigating large distances.
• Lifespan: Loggerheads can live up to 80 years or more. 

Loggerhead Sea Turtle Conservation Status

It is classified as ‘Vulnerable‘ under the IUCN Red List

News: TRIB