Loggerhead sea turtle
Caretta caretta
Conservation Status:
Sea turtle sightings are very rare in Connecticut, as they migrate to the northern parts of the Atlantic Ocean as the water heats up in the spring. They may be spotted in Long Island Sound from May to November.
Description
Loggerheads grow around three feet long and weigh 200 to 400 pounds. They have an orange or reddish brown shell and a yellow plastron. Their limbs and head are brown on top and yellow on the bottom. They have very large heads and a slightly heart shaped shell.
Habitat
These turtles can be found globally in oceans. They do not venture too far north past the UK, and do not go past South America in the south.
Behavior
Loggerheads are fully aquatic, only leaving the water to nest. They are most active during the day. Primarily they are carnivores, but occasionally may eat plants. Females are aggressive, and spar upon meeting another female. Their migrations may sometimes be as far as 8000 miles. Between April and September they lay around 100 eggs, and they can live about eighty years.
Range
Present
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Photo needed! Email ajones7428@gmail.com
Often Confused with
Green Sea Turtle
Photographed by Alyssa Jones
Green sea turtles are often more olive or brown in color with very smooth, oval shaped shells. Loggerheads have a red or brown coloring with pronounced sections on their shells. Their carapace is slightly heart shaped.