View source for Loggerhead sea turtle

{{Taxobox
| name = Loggerhead sea turtle
| status = EN
| status_system = iucn3.1
| image = Caretta_caretta01.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| classis = [[Reptile|Reptilia]]
| subclassis = [[Anapsida]]
| ordo = [[Testudines]]
| familia = [[Cheloniidae]]
| genus = '''''Caretta'''''
| binomial = ''Caretta caretta''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1758
}}

The '''loggerhead sea turtle''' or '''loggerhead''', (''Caretta caretta''), is a type of [[turtle]] that lives in the [[ocean|sea]]. It is from the [[Family (biology)|family]] Cheloniidae.    

Loggerheads live in the [[ocean|seas]] around the world. Most of the [[beach]]es where loggerheads lay eggs are found on the coasts of the [[United States]] in [[North America]] (mostly in [[Florida]]), [[Oman]] in [[Asia]], and [[Australia]] in the [[Pacific Ocean]]. Some loggerheads also live near other countries like [[Chile]], [[Greece]], and [[Indonesia]].

== How they live ==
Loggerheads eat [[fish]], [[squid]], [[jellyfish]], [[crab]]s, and other small sea animals. Loggerheads [[Sexual reproduction|mate]] while they are moving in the seas mostly from March to June every 2 or 3 years. When they are ready to lay eggs female loggerheads always come back to the same beach where they came out of their eggs as babies. Most loggerheads lay eggs in June and July. Most lay between 100 and 126 eggs. The eggs look much like ping-pong balls.

When they come out of the eggs baby loggerheads are called ''hatchlings''. They usually come out at night so that other animals, like birds and crabs, do not eat them. The hatchlings follow light from the morning sun to the [[ocean|sea]]. They swim out to parts of the ocean that have [[seaweed]] (plants that grow in the sea) to hide from other animals while they grow.

Most loggerheads move to warm waters during months that are colder but some [[hibernation|hibernate]], or sleep for long times, when it is cold. When they are hibernating they can stay under the water for up to seven hours before coming up for air.

Loggerheads live 30 to 50 years or more.

== Protecting them from people ==
In the past loggerhead sea turtles were [[hunting|hunted]] by people for meat and for their eggs. Also their [[fat]] and [[Animal shell|shells]] were used to make [[medicine]]s, combs, and other things. The number of loggerheads today is small and so governments in many countries have laws that do not allow them to be hunted anymore.

The main danger for loggerheads now is the nets used by fishermen which can accidentally kill the turtles. They are also killed by boats, fishing hooks, and other dangers from people.

Civilization is harming the loggerhead reproduction cycle, due to beach construction.

== Related pages ==
[[File:Caretta caretta 060417w2.jpg|thumb|180px|right|Loggerhead turtle]]
*[[Sea turtle]]
*[[Hawksbill turtle]]

== Further reading ==
* {{IUCN2006|assessors=Marine Turtle Specialist Group|year=1996|id=3897|title=Caretta caretta|downloaded=10 May 2006}} Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is endangered and the criteria used
* [http://dep.state.ct.us/cgnhs/nddb/reptiles.htm Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection - Endangered, Threatened & Special Concern Reptiles] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061206120901/http://dep.state.ct.us/cgnhs/nddb/reptiles.htm |date=2006-12-06 }}
*[https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070922/ap_on_go_ot/loggerhead_turtles_2]{{Dead link|date=October 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

== Other websites ==
{{commons|Caretta caretta|Loggerhead Sea Turtle}}
{{wikispecies|Caretta caretta}}
* '''International''': {{ARKive|loggerhead-turtle|caretta-caretta|Loggerhead Turtle}}
* '''U.S.''': [http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/loggerhead.htm Loggerhead Turtle]- by [[NOAA]] Fisheries Office of Protected Resources
* '''Florida''': [http://northflorida.fws.gov/SeaTurtles/Turtle%20Factsheets/loggerhead-sea-turtle.htm Loggerhead Sea Turtle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050825040341/http://northflorida.fws.gov/SeaTurtles/Turtle%20Factsheets/loggerhead-sea-turtle.htm |date=2005-08-25 }}- by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's North Florida Field Office
* '''Caribbean''': [http://cccturtle.org/ Caribbean Conservation Corporation & Sea Turtle Survival League]
* '''Africa''': [http://www.cms.int/species/africa_turtle/AFRICAturtle_bkgd.htm Marine Turtles-Africa]- Convention on Migratory Species
{{Authority control}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q192095}}

[[Category:Turtles]]
[[Category:Marine reptiles]]