Loggerhead Sea Turtles
Loggerhead turtles are the most abundant of all the marine turtle species in U.S. waters. But persistent population declines due to pollution, shrimp trawling, and development in their nesting areas, among other factors, have kept this wide-ranging sea goer on the threatened species list since 1978.
Their enormous range encompasses all but the most frigid waters of the world's oceans. They seem to prefer coastal habitats, but often frequent inland water bodies and will travel hundreds of miles out to sea.
They are primarily carnivores, munching jellyfish, conchs, crabs, and even fish, but will eat seaweed and sargassum occasionally.
Mature females will often return, sometimes over thousands of miles, to the beach where they hatched to lay their eggs. Worldwide population numbers are unknown, but scientists studying nesting populations are seeing marked decreases despite endangered species protections.
Their enormous range encompasses all but the most frigid waters of the world's oceans. They seem to prefer coastal habitats, but often frequent inland water bodies and will travel hundreds of miles out to sea.
They are primarily carnivores, munching jellyfish, conchs, crabs, and even fish, but will eat seaweed and sargassum occasionally.
Mature females will often return, sometimes over thousands of miles, to the beach where they hatched to lay their eggs. Worldwide population numbers are unknown, but scientists studying nesting populations are seeing marked decreases despite endangered species protections.
Sea Turtle Nesting
Starting in May, female sea turtles begin laying their eggs on North Carolina beaches. Each nest, or clutch, contains approximately 120 eggs roughly the size of a ping pong ball. The female digs a chamber in the sand about 1-2 feet below the surface and once the eggs are deposited, she covers them up with sand. Except for the distinct track she has left in the sand, the nest is completely camouflaged. A female turtle will return every 2 weeks or so to lay another clutch of eggs. She may lay between 4-7 clutches in one season. Once the water temperatures start to cool again in August, the females move on in search of food and a decent place to reside until it is time to nest again. Typically, a female nests every other or every 3rd year. In North Carolina, the majority are loggerheads, with a few green turtles and leatherbacks nesting each year.They incubate for approximately 60 days, but nests laid early in the season, in the shade of vegetation or buildings, or during cool weather periods could take up to 100 days.
Since sea turtles can be very picky about where they lay their nests, it is common for a female to crawl up the beach only to return to the ocean without laying a nest if the site did not suit her, or if she was scared away. This is called a false crawl. In order to verify that a nest is present and it is not just a false crawl, trained participants know how to "read" the markings left in the sand and know where to dig very carefully below the surface to find the nest. Once eggs are found, the nest is immediately covered back up. The area is protected using stakes and flagging tape and is identified with a sign. Some nests are covered with wire cages on beaches where predators like raccoons and fox are a problem. Usually that is all that is needed to ensure the nest remains undisturbed. The nests are checked everyday for signs of disturbance, as well as overwash from high tides. Participants also check for signs that the nest is getting ready to hatch, usually nothing more than a distinct depression or hole in the sand.
Once ready to hatch, barriers are often constructed to decrease the chance of hatchlings getting stepped on, run over, or confused by lights. They take several days to hatch out and crawl to the surface of the sand as a team, and then when ready, they break the surface and scramble to the sea. This usually occurs at night time, and is referred to as a boil. In most cases, hatchlings can make it to the sea without any assistance from humans (and we discourage any unnecessary interfering).
It's estimated that only 1 in 1,000 hatchlings will survive to sexual maturity (adulthood).
Facts:
Average Life Span in the Wild - More than 50 Years
Average Size - 36 inches
Average Weight - 253 pounds
Starting in May, female sea turtles begin laying their eggs on North Carolina beaches. Each nest, or clutch, contains approximately 120 eggs roughly the size of a ping pong ball. The female digs a chamber in the sand about 1-2 feet below the surface and once the eggs are deposited, she covers them up with sand. Except for the distinct track she has left in the sand, the nest is completely camouflaged. A female turtle will return every 2 weeks or so to lay another clutch of eggs. She may lay between 4-7 clutches in one season. Once the water temperatures start to cool again in August, the females move on in search of food and a decent place to reside until it is time to nest again. Typically, a female nests every other or every 3rd year. In North Carolina, the majority are loggerheads, with a few green turtles and leatherbacks nesting each year.They incubate for approximately 60 days, but nests laid early in the season, in the shade of vegetation or buildings, or during cool weather periods could take up to 100 days.
Since sea turtles can be very picky about where they lay their nests, it is common for a female to crawl up the beach only to return to the ocean without laying a nest if the site did not suit her, or if she was scared away. This is called a false crawl. In order to verify that a nest is present and it is not just a false crawl, trained participants know how to "read" the markings left in the sand and know where to dig very carefully below the surface to find the nest. Once eggs are found, the nest is immediately covered back up. The area is protected using stakes and flagging tape and is identified with a sign. Some nests are covered with wire cages on beaches where predators like raccoons and fox are a problem. Usually that is all that is needed to ensure the nest remains undisturbed. The nests are checked everyday for signs of disturbance, as well as overwash from high tides. Participants also check for signs that the nest is getting ready to hatch, usually nothing more than a distinct depression or hole in the sand.
Once ready to hatch, barriers are often constructed to decrease the chance of hatchlings getting stepped on, run over, or confused by lights. They take several days to hatch out and crawl to the surface of the sand as a team, and then when ready, they break the surface and scramble to the sea. This usually occurs at night time, and is referred to as a boil. In most cases, hatchlings can make it to the sea without any assistance from humans (and we discourage any unnecessary interfering).
It's estimated that only 1 in 1,000 hatchlings will survive to sexual maturity (adulthood).
Facts:
Average Life Span in the Wild - More than 50 Years
Average Size - 36 inches
Average Weight - 253 pounds