Loggerhead Sea Turtle

The name for this type of sea turtle stems from the fact that it does have an enormous heat. Did you know that they aren't able to put their heads inside of the shells? In fact, no species of sea turtle can do this. Flippers are present that also have claws on the front ones. This allows them to dig in the sand and also to protect themselves.

The biggest protection though for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle comes from the shell itself. It is smooth to the touch and it also does more than to keep them from the mouths of predators. These shells also are a way for them to keep their bodies at the right temperature. This shell can be too hard for many predators to really break through and that is good for them. They don't really have the speed or the weapons to otherwise keep predators at bay.

They are able to remain under the water for many hours at a time before they must come up for air. They also can show signs of distress when they can't move freely such as when they are stuck in fishing nets. As a result they can end up drowning in a matter of minutes due to that type of situation.

Loggerhead Sea Turtles are very curious as well. They will put anything they can into their mouths. Unfortunately with all of the pollution out there in the water this can be toxic for them. They don't seem to have too many other behaviors that we can readily evaluate. Most experts are curious though about how they communicate with each other.
Since they are non verbal and they usually live alone though they don't seem to do so very often.

You can find these types of sea turtles out there living in all the oceans around. They love to be in warm water and they also enjoy being able to explore on the beaches with sand. You will find them mainly along the areas of Mexico and into the Bahamas. They have also been found in various lagoons and bays so don't believe the rumors that they must live in salt water to survive.

They have one of the longest migration patterns of all sea turtles. They will migrate for a couple of reasons - to find warmer water and to get to the area where mating takes place called the breeding grounds. The tracking of them has been very successful during migration due to some being captured and a transmitter added to their bodies.

There are quite a few different types of meat that the Loggerhead Sea Turtle will consume. They aren't likely to eat grass and plants as many people believe. In fact they have very powerful jaws and some sharp teeth that allow them to successfully consume foods including crab, mollusks, crustaceans, fish, and jellyfish. They have to consume very large amounts of it daily in order to stay as healthy as possible.

The will try to find all of their food at the shallow areas of the water. However, they can dive as well to find food when they need to. Some observations have tracked them diving more than 1,000 times in a given day to successfully find enough food to satisfy their needs.

They are usually about 35 years old when they are ready to mate. This is the oldest of all species of sea turtles out there. However, they can live to be up to 100 years old and they can reproduce for many decades. As I mentioned they will travel to the breeding grounds annually. That is where the mating process will take place. Thousands of them can meet up and then pair off.

With this particular species of sea turtle it is the females that get to dictate who they mate with. She will mate with one male but turn away several others. It isn't really understood what the connection is that makes her decide to mate at times and to refuse at others. IT doesn't seem to have anything to do with the size of the male or the timing.

The females are able to mate, deposit eggs on the sandy beaches, and then return to mate again. It is common for a single female to mate several times with different males each season. These eggs are left on the shore for about two months and then they will hatch. The young have to try to mate it to the waters. However, a common problem is that many of them aren't even successful when it comes to breaking the tough outer shell. As a result many of them end up dying still in their shell.

There are plenty of predators out there lurking to consume these abandoned eggs too. They include birds, crabs, dogs, and raccoons. They can feed on large amounts of the eggs out there. Those that do successfully hatch may find that they are eaten as they try to make it into the water. Even more of them get consumed by predators in the water though including sharks and fish.

The concept of hunting the Loggerhead Sea Turtle is one that has been implemented as well. Many people find this to be one of the most delicious sources of meat that they have ever tasted. Many villagers close to the beaches will take the eggs that are left behind so that they can eat those as well. Even though it is considered to be illegal in many areas, it is a practice that continues.