preview

Loggerhead Turtle Characteristics

Decent Essays

For many beach lovers, the ocean provokes thoughts of family vacations, palm trees, and boating but what about the vast environments that lay beneath the waves? While mankind has only explored a mere five percent of the world’s oceans and countless numbers of aquatic creatures remain undiscovered, Loggerhead Sea Turtles stand out as being well-recognized. The turtle’s massive size and beautiful shell grab people’s attention, yet it is probably safe to say that many have no further knowledge about the existence of Loggerheads. From traveling the world to facing threats from human activity, Loggerhead Turtles experience long and fulfilling lives. For starters, one should be aware of the basic, physical traits of Loggerhead Turtles. Scientifically named Caretta caretta, Loggerhead Turtles earned the name from their oversized heads (said to be as strong as a log) and horny beaks, both of which are significantly thicker than those of other sea turtles. Strong beaks allow shellfish and other hard foods to …show more content…

Animals of all kinds adapt their living environments in search of food. Sea turtles reside in coastal tropical and subtropical water; ranging in the Atlantic Ocean from Argentina to Nova Scotia as well as barrier islands from North Carolina to the Florida Keys ("Loggerhead Sea Turtles, Caretta caretta"). Adult habitat includes rock ledges, near-shore reefs, and the mouths of inlets while hatchling habitat typically remains in warm ocean currents. As for feeding, Loggerheads rely on a carnivorous diet consisting of crustaceans, fish, jellyfish, and other marine animals. Hatchlings, on the other hand, feed on small animals such as algal mats called sargassum that live in the sea grass with the newborn turtles ("Loggerhead Sea Turtle." National Wildlife Federation). Hatchlings don’t stay young forever though, and they are quickly thrown into the “real world” after

Get Access