Skip to main content
Close

Loggerhead turtle

Caretta caretta

Photo by Jake Barnes
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

20.4849, -86.96

Field Notes

Description:

The average loggerhead measures around 90 centimeters (35 in) long when fully grown, although larger specimens of up to 270 centimeters (110 in) have been discovered. The adult loggerhead sea turtle weighs approximately 135 kilograms (300 lb), with the largest specimens weighing in at more than 454 kilograms (1,000 lb). The skin ranges from yellow to brown in color, and the shell is typically reddish-brown. There are no external differences in gender until the turtle becomes an adult, the most obvious difference being that adult males have thicker tails and shorter plastrons than the females.

Habitat:

Loggerhead sea turtles spend most of their lives in the open ocean and in shallow coastal waters. They rarely come ashore, with the exception of the females' brief visits to construct nests and deposit eggs.

Notes:

Largest turtle I have seen so far, saw him right before a nurse shark went by

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (1)

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Image
Butterflies icon

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon