{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "loggerhead-turtle",
  "name": "Loggerhead Sea Turtle",
  "scientificName": "Caretta caretta",
  "category": "Reptile",
  "summary": "The loggerhead is a large sea turtle found in temperate and tropical oceans worldwide, named for its exceptionally big, powerful-jawed head. Adults reach about 1 m in shell length and weigh 80 to 200 kg, using their strong jaws to crush hard-shelled prey like crabs and molluscs. They are long-lived, reaching 45 to 50 years, but mature only at 20 to 30 years old. The IUCN lists the loggerhead as Vulnerable.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Reptilia",
    "order": "Testudines",
    "family": "Cryptodira",
    "genus": "Caretta"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 150,
    "lengthM": 1,
    "topSpeedKmh": 24,
    "lifespanYears": 50
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Caretta caretta"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore — crabs, molluscs, jellyfish, and fish"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Temperate and tropical oceans worldwide"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "45–50 years; maturity at 20–30 years"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "80–200 kg (175–440 lb); large heads relative to body"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 24 km/h (15 mph) swimming"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Temperate and tropical oceans worldwide — nesting on US Atlantic, Mediterranean, Oman, and Japan beaches.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Asia",
      "Europe",
      "North America",
      "Oceania",
      "Oceans",
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Caretta caretta.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Caretta%20caretta&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Caretta caretta. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Caretta_caretta/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/loggerhead-turtle/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/loggerhead-turtle/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}