FWS Focus

Overview

Characteristics
Overview

Known for its large head and blunt jaws used to feed on hard-shelled prey, loggerhead turtles are the most abundant species of sea turtle that nests in the United States. The species is found worldwide, and has nine distinct population segments that are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. In the U.S., the species' Northwest Atlantic Ocean distinct population segment nests primarily along the Atlantic coast of Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina, and along the Florida and Alabama coasts in the Gulf of Mexico.

The species is threatened by loss or degradation of its nesting habitat from coastal development and beach armoring. Nests are vulnerable to predation by native and non-native predators, and hatchlings to disorienting beachfront lighting. In their marine foraging habitat, loggerheads face threats from marine pollution and debris, watercraft strikes, disease, and incidental take from channel dredging and commercial trawling, longline, and gill net fisheries. 

In the southeastern U.S., concerted nest-protection and beach-habitat protection efforts are underway for most of the significant nesting areas, and significant progress has been made in reducing mortality from commercial fisheries in U.S. waters with the enforcement of turtle excluder device regulations. Many coastal counties and communities in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina have developed lighting ordinances to reduce hatchling disorientations. Important U.S. nesting beaches have been and continue to be acquired for long-term protection. The migratory nature of loggerheads severely compromises these efforts once they move outside U.S. waters, however, since legal and illegal fisheries activities in some countries are causing high mortality of loggerheads from the Northwest Atlantic Ocean distinct population segment. Due to the long-range migratory movements of sea turtles between nesting beaches and foraging areas, long-term international cooperation is absolutely essential for recovery and stability of nesting populations.

Scientific Name

Caretta caretta
Common Name
Loggerhead
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
FWS Category
Reptiles
Kingdom

Location in Taxonomic Tree

Identification Numbers

TSN:

Characteristics

Characteristic category

Habitat

Characteristics
Habitat

The loggerhead is widely distributed within its range. It may be found hundreds of miles out to sea, as well as in inshore areas such as bays, lagoons, salt marshes, creeks, ship channels, and the mouths of large rivers. Coral reefs, rocky places, and ship wrecks are often used as feeding areas. Nesting occurs mainly on open beaches or along narrow bays having suitable sand, and it is often in association with other species of sea turtles. Most loggerhead hatchlings originating from U.S. beaches are believed to lead a pelagic existence in the North Atlantic gyre for an extended period of time, perhaps as long as 7 to 12 years, and are best known from the eastern Atlantic near the Azores and Madeira. Post-hatchlings have been found floating at sea in association with Sargassum rafts. Once they reach a certain size, these juvenile loggerheads begin recruiting to coastal areas in the western Atlantic where they become benthic feeders in lagoons, estuaries, bays, river mouths, and shallow coastal waters. These juveniles occupy coastal feeding grounds for about 13 to 20 years before maturing and making their first reproductive migration, the females returning to their natal beach to nest.

Marine

Of or relating to the sea.

Coastal

The land near a shore.

Characteristic category

Food

Characteristics
Food

Loggerhead turtles feed on mollusks, crustaceans, fish, and other marine animals.

Characteristic category

Life Cycle

Characteristics
Reproduction

The U.S. nesting season for the species occurs from April through September, with a peak in June and July. Nesting occurs primarily at night. Loggerheads are known to nest from one to seven times within a nesting season (mean is about 4.1 nests per season) at intervals of approximately 14 days. 

Incubation duration ranges from about 42 to 75 days, depending on incubation temperatures, but averages 55-60 days for most clutches in Florida. Hatchlings generally emerge at night. Remigration intervals of 2 to 3 years are most common in nesting loggerheads, but remigration can vary from 1 to 7 years.  Age at sexual maturity is believed to be about 32 to 35 years.

Life Span

Lifespan is estimated to be 70 years or more.

Characteristic category

Physical Characteristics

Characteristics
Size & Shape

For sea turtles, loggerheads are medium size.

Measurements

Length: 2.5 to 3.5 feet 

Color & Pattern

The carapace and flippers are a reddish-brown color; the plastron is yellow. The carapace has five pairs of costal scutes with the first touching the nuchal scute. There are three large inframarginal scutes on each of the bridges between the plastron and carapace. 

Weight

Measurements

Weight: 200 to 350 pounds

Geography

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Timeline

Explore the information available for this taxon's timeline. You can select an event on the timeline to view more information, or cycle through the content available in the carousel below.

39 Items

4d

4d

4d

Permit

Five Year Review

Five Year Review

Listing

Listing

Correction

Listing

Listing

Listing

4d

Listing

Notice

Notice

Listing

4d

Critical Habitat

Critical Habitat

Critical Habitat

Correction

Correction

Correction

Correction

Correction

Correction

Correction

Correction

Correction

Correction

Five Year Review

Five Year Review

Five Year Review

Five Year Review

Five Year Review

Five Year Review

Five Year Review

Five Year Review

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4d

May 20, 1975

May 20, 1975 4d
(NOAA/NMFS) Sea Turtles: Proposed "Threatened" Status; 40 FR 21983 21986 ( green sea turtlโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 1

4d

Jun 16, 1976

Jun 16, 1976 4d
Proposed Regulations Treating 3 Turtles as Threatened Under the "Similarity of Appearance"โ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 2

4d

Jul 28, 1978

Jul 28, 1978 4d
Listing and Protecting Loggerhead Sea Turtles as "Threatened Species" and Populations of Gโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 3

Permit

Oct 25, 2001

Oct 25, 2001 Permit
Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Habitat Conservation Plan and Notice of Receipt of Aโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Application Received
Item 4

Five Year Review

Apr 21, 2005

Apr 21, 2005 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Initiation of a 5โ€“Year Review of Listed Sea Turtles
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 5

Five Year Review

Apr 21, 2005

Apr 21, 2005 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Initiation of a 5โ€“Year Review of Listed Sea Turtles
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 6

Listing

Nov 16, 2007

Nov 16, 2007 Listing (Substantial)
90-day Finding for a Petition to Reclassify the Loggerhead Turtle in the North Pacific Ocean as a Diโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: 90 day petition finding
Item 7

Listing

Mar 5, 2008

Mar 5, 2008 Listing (Substantial)
90-day Finding for a Petition to Reclassify the Loggerhead Turtle in the Western North Atlantic Oceaโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: 90 day petition finding
Item 8

Correction

Mar 11, 2008

Mar 11, 2008 Correction
90-day Finding for a Petition to Reclassify the Loggerhead Turtle in the Western North Atlantic Oceaโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 9

Listing

Mar 11, 2008

Mar 11, 2008 Listing (Substantial)
90-day Finding for a Petition to Reclassify the Loggerhead Turtle in the Western North Atlantic Oceaโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: 90 day petition finding
Item 10

Listing

Mar 16, 2010

Mar 16, 2010 Listing (Endangered)
Proposed Listing of Nine Distinct Population Segments of Loggerhead Sea Turtles as Endangered or Thrโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 11

Listing

Mar 16, 2010

Mar 16, 2010 Listing (Warranted)
Proposed Listing of Nine Distinct Population Segments of Loggerhead Sea Turtles as Endangered or Thrโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: 12m petition finding
Item 12

4d

Mar 16, 2010

Mar 16, 2010 4d
Proposed Listing of Nine Distinct Population Segments of Loggerhead Sea Turtles as Endangered or Thrโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 13

Listing

Mar 16, 2010

Mar 16, 2010 Listing (Threatened)
Proposed Listing of Nine Distinct Population Segments of Loggerhead Sea Turtles as Endangered or Thrโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 14

Notice

Jun 2, 2010

Jun 2, 2010 Notice
Proposed Listing of Nine Distinct Population Segments of Loggerhead Sea Turtles as Endangered or Thrโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Comment Period Extension
Item 15

Notice

Jun 2, 2010

Jun 2, 2010 Notice
Proposed Listing of Nine Distinct Population Segments of Loggerhead Sea Turtles as Endangered or Thrโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Public Hearing
Item 16

Listing

Sep 22, 2011

Sep 22, 2011 Listing (Threatened)
Determination of Nine Distinct Population Segments of Loggerhead Sea Turtles as Endangered or Threatโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 17

4d

Sep 22, 2011

Sep 22, 2011 4d
Determination of Nine Distinct Population Segments of Loggerhead Sea Turtles as Endangered or Threatโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 18

Critical Habitat

Mar 25, 2013

Mar 25, 2013 Critical Habitat
Designation of Critical Habitat for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Distinct Population Segment of theโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 19

Critical Habitat

Jul 18, 2013

Jul 18, 2013 Critical Habitat
Designation of Critical Habitat for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Distinct Population Segment of theโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Proposed
Item 20

Critical Habitat

Jul 10, 2014

Jul 10, 2014 Critical Habitat
Designation of Critical Habitat for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Distinct Population Segment of theโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Final
Item 21

Correction

Jul 23, 2014

Jul 23, 2014 Correction
Marine and Anadromous Taxa: Additions, Removal, Updates,and Corrections to the List of Endangered anโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 22

Correction

Jul 23, 2014

Jul 23, 2014 Correction
Marine and Anadromous Taxa: Additions, Removal, Updates,and Corrections to the List of Endangered anโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 23

Correction

Jul 23, 2014

Jul 23, 2014 Correction
Marine and Anadromous Taxa: Additions, Removal, Updates,and Corrections to the List of Endangered anโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 24

Correction

Jul 23, 2014

Jul 23, 2014 Correction
Marine and Anadromous Taxa: Additions, Removal, Updates,and Corrections to the List of Endangered anโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 25

Correction

Jul 23, 2014

Jul 23, 2014 Correction
Marine and Anadromous Taxa: Additions, Removal, Updates,and Corrections to the List of Endangered anโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 26

Correction

Jul 23, 2014

Jul 23, 2014 Correction
Marine and Anadromous Taxa: Additions, Removal, Updates,and Corrections to the List of Endangered anโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 27

Correction

Jul 23, 2014

Jul 23, 2014 Correction
Marine and Anadromous Taxa: Additions, Removal, Updates,and Corrections to the List of Endangered anโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 28

Correction

Jul 23, 2014

Jul 23, 2014 Correction
Marine and Anadromous Taxa: Additions, Removal, Updates,and Corrections to the List of Endangered anโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 29

Correction

Jul 23, 2014

Jul 23, 2014 Correction
Marine and Anadromous Taxa: Additions, Removal, Updates,and Corrections to the List of Endangered anโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 30

Correction

Aug 28, 2014

Aug 28, 2014 Correction
Designation of Critical Habitat for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Distinct Population Segment of theโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 31

Five Year Review

Dec 26, 2019

Dec 26, 2019 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Notice of Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Northwest Atlantic Ocean and Seven Foreign Distinct Populโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 32

Five Year Review

Dec 26, 2019

Dec 26, 2019 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Notice of Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Northwest Atlantic Ocean and Seven Foreign Distinct Populโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 33

Five Year Review

Dec 26, 2019

Dec 26, 2019 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Notice of Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Northwest Atlantic Ocean and Seven Foreign Distinct Populโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 34

Five Year Review

Dec 26, 2019

Dec 26, 2019 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Notice of Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Northwest Atlantic Ocean and Seven Foreign Distinct Populโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 35

Five Year Review

Dec 26, 2019

Dec 26, 2019 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Notice of Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Northwest Atlantic Ocean and Seven Foreign Distinct Populโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 36

Five Year Review

Dec 26, 2019

Dec 26, 2019 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Notice of Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Northwest Atlantic Ocean and Seven Foreign Distinct Populโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 37

Five Year Review

Dec 26, 2019

Dec 26, 2019 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Notice of Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Northwest Atlantic Ocean and Seven Foreign Distinct Populโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 38

Five Year Review

Dec 26, 2019

Dec 26, 2019 Five Year Review (Information Solicitation)
Notice of Initiation of a 5-Year Review of Northwest Atlantic Ocean and Seven Foreign Distinct Populโ€ฆ
  • Publication type: Notice
Item 39