How big do loggerhead turtles get?

Adult loggerheads average about 90 cm in carapace length and approximately 135 kg in weight, with the largest individuals reaching around 200 kg.

Where do loggerhead turtles live?

They occur across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea, spending most of their lives in saltwater and estuarine habitats.

What are the main threats to loggerheads?

Major threats include untended fishing gear, loss of nesting habitat from coastal development, predation of nests, human disturbances like coastal lighting, and being trapped in fishing trawls.

How long until loggerheads reproduce?

Loggerheads reach sexual maturity in about 17–33 years and females typically lay an average of four egg clutches before becoming quiescent for two to three years.

Are loggerheads legally protected?

Yes. The species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN; several population segments are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and international trade is prohibited by CITES Appendix I.

What adaptations help loggerheads feed?

They have large, powerful jaws adapted for dismantling hard-shelled, bottom-dwelling invertebrate prey.

Why are hatchlings at risk from coastal lighting?

Artificial coastal lighting and nearby housing developments can disorient emerging hatchlings, interfering with their natural movement toward the sea.

What is a turtle excluder device?

A turtle excluder device is a fishing gear modification that provides an escape route to reduce turtle mortality in trawl fisheries.

Where to See Loggerhead Turtle While Diving

The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is a marine reptile in the family Cheloniidae found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea. Adults average about 90 cm carapace length and roughly 135 kg in weight, with the largest individuals near 200 kg. Skin color ranges from yellow to brown and the shell is typically reddish brown. No external sex differences are evident until adulthood, when males develop thicker tails and shorter plastrons than females. Loggerheads spend most of their lives in saltwater and estuarine habitats; females come ashore briefly to lay eggs. They reach sexual maturity within about 17–33 years and have been reported to live roughly 47–67 years. Loggerheads are omnivorous and feed mainly on bottom-dwelling invertebrates, using their large, powerful jaws to break apart prey. Eggs and young are vulnerable to numerous predators, while adult turtles are largely preyed upon only by large marine animals such as large sharks.

Loggerheads are considered Vulnerable. Key conservation measures include legal protections, restrictions on international trade, use of turtle excluder devices in trawl fisheries, and efforts to protect and restore nesting beaches; international cooperation is needed due to their wide-ranging movements.

Widely distributed across major oceans and the Mediterranean; spends most of life in saltwater and estuarine habitats and nests on beaches, with females coming ashore to lay eggs.

The strongest linked planning options currently surface around destinations such as Grand Cayman, Lady Elliot Island, Bayahibe and Dominicus and countries such as Greece, Australia, United States of America for divers building trips around loggerhead turtles.