# Loggerhead Sea Turtle (*Caretta caretta*)

> 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.

- **Category:** Reptile
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Vulnerable
- **Range:** Temperate and tropical oceans worldwide — nesting on US Atlantic, Mediterranean, Oman, and Japan beaches.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/loggerhead-turtle/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Reptilia
- **Order:** Testudines
- **Family:** Cryptodira
- **Genus:** Caretta

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Caretta caretta |
| Diet | Carnivore — crabs, molluscs, jellyfish, and fish |
| Habitat | Temperate and tropical oceans worldwide |
| Lifespan | 45–50 years; maturity at 20–30 years |
| Weight | 80–200 kg (175–440 lb); large heads relative to body |
| Top speed | Up to 24 km/h (15 mph) swimming |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable (IUCN) |

## Appearance and adaptations

The loggerhead takes its name from its unusually large head and thick, muscular jaws, which give it a bite powerful enough to crush shellfish. Its heart-shaped shell is a warm reddish-brown above and paler yellow beneath, typically reaching around 1 m in length. Adults weigh between 80 and 200 kg, making the loggerhead one of the larger hard-shelled sea turtles. Powerful, flipper-like front limbs propel it through the water at speeds of up to 24 km/h in short bursts.

## Diet and feeding

Loggerheads are carnivores whose strong jaws are built for a diet of hard-bodied prey. They eat crabs, molluscs such as whelks and clams, jellyfish, and fish, crushing shells that would defeat most other turtles. Young loggerheads drifting in the open ocean feed near the surface, while adults forage along the seabed of coastal shelves. Their feeding even helps recycle nutrients and shells across the seafloor.

## Migration and life at sea

Loggerheads are ocean wanderers that undertake some of the longest migrations of any sea turtle, crossing entire ocean basins between feeding and nesting grounds. Hatchlings ride ocean currents for years in what biologists call the 'lost years', drifting among floating seaweed before returning to coastal waters as juveniles. Adults navigate thousands of kilometres using the Earth's magnetic field as a built-in compass. Remarkably, females return to nest on or near the very beach where they themselves hatched.

## Nesting and reproduction

Female loggerheads come ashore on sandy beaches at night, dig a nest with their rear flippers, and lay around a hundred leathery eggs before returning to the sea. A single female may nest several times in a season, then skip several years before breeding again. The temperature of the sand determines the sex of the hatchlings, with warmer nests producing more females. Loggerheads grow slowly and do not reach breeding age until 20 to 30 years old.

## Why it is vulnerable

The loggerhead is listed as Vulnerable, having declined across much of its range. Many drown after being caught accidentally in fishing gear such as trawls and longlines, one of the biggest threats to the species. Coastal development and artificial light disorient nesting females and hatchlings, while plastic pollution is often swallowed by mistake. Their slow maturity means populations recover only very slowly from these losses.

## Range and habitat

Loggerheads live in temperate and tropical oceans around the world, from the Atlantic and Mediterranean to the Indian and Pacific. They spend most of their lives at sea, occupying open water as juveniles and shallower continental shelves as adults. Major nesting concentrations occur on beaches in places such as the south-eastern United States, Oman, and the Mediterranean. Because they range so widely, their conservation depends on cooperation across many nations.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why is it called a loggerhead turtle?

The name comes from the turtle's unusually large, block-like head. That big head houses powerful jaw muscles that give the loggerhead a bite strong enough to crush the shells of crabs and molluscs.

### How big do loggerhead turtles get?

Adult loggerheads reach about 1 m in shell length and weigh between 80 and 200 kg (175 to 440 lb). This makes them one of the larger hard-shelled sea turtles, second among them mainly to the green turtle.

### How long do loggerhead turtles live?

Loggerheads typically live 45 to 50 years. They grow slowly and do not reach breeding age until they are 20 to 30 years old, so each generation takes decades to replace itself.

### What do loggerhead turtles eat?

Loggerheads are carnivores that eat crabs, molluscs such as clams and whelks, jellyfish, and fish. Their powerful jaws let them crush hard shells that most other sea turtles cannot manage.

### Why are loggerhead turtles endangered?

Loggerheads are Vulnerable, threatened mainly by accidental capture in fishing gear, coastal development, artificial lighting on nesting beaches, and plastic pollution. Because they mature so slowly, their populations recover only gradually from these pressures.

### How do loggerhead turtles find their nesting beaches?

Loggerheads navigate using the Earth's magnetic field like a built-in compass, allowing them to cross ocean basins. Females often return to nest on or near the same beach where they hatched decades earlier.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Caretta caretta.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Caretta%20caretta&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Caretta caretta. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Caretta_caretta/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/loggerhead-turtle/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.