The
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
The
Amazing Journey
An amazing thing happens every
summer on Hilton Head Island's beaches. An ancient mariner, the loggerhead
sea turtle, emerges from the shimmering water of the Atlantic, and crawls
ashore to lay her eggs in a sandy nest.
It may take her over an hour to excavate a perfect nest with her rear
flippers. Then the mother turtle, weighing several hundred pounds, deposits
approximately 100 ping-pong sized eggs into the nest, covers them with
sand and returns to the sea.
After about 60 days a cluster of tiny hatchlings emerges from the sand
and scrambles to the ocean to begin a long dangerous journey.
All
About Loggerheads
The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta),
like all sea turtles, is a reptile and is related to land turtles, lizards,
and snakes. Adapted to live in the ocean, loggerheads have powerful flippers
instead of legs and an aerodynamic body and shell which enables them to
move elegantly through the sea. loggerhead turtles are a federally threatened
species.
What does the loggerhead look like?
The loggerhead has a massive skull and a body weighing 250-400 pounds
and reaching up to 4 feet long! Like all sea turtles, loggerheads have
front and rear paddle-like flippers that function similar to the wings
of an airplane providing propulsion through the ocean. The upper shell
of the loggerhead, called the carapace, is usually a reddish brown color,
and the lower shell, called the plastron, is dull brown to yellow. The
two shells are composed of horny plates called scutes.
Where do loggerheads live?
Loggerheads can be found in temperate and subtropical waters throughout
most of the world. Adults usually stay close to shore, while juveniles
float in the open ocean. loggerheads prefer to feed in coastal bays and
estuaries or in the shallow water along the continental shelves of the
Atlantic ocean. Loggerheads live
exclusively in the water, and the females only come on land to lay eggs
(males never come ashore).
What do loggerheads eat?
Loggerhead sea turtles are primarily carnivorous and feed mostly on shellfish
that live on the bottom of the ocean. They have powerful jaw muscles and
strong beak- like jaws which they use to eat hard shelled animals such
as horseshoe crabs, mussels, and clams.
What
about nesting?
Loggerhead sea turtles nest on the beaches of Hilton Head Island and other
southeast beaches between May and August. An adult female will nest once
every two to four years, coming to shore up to 7 times per season to lay
eggs. Nesting occurs at night - the female crawls slowly to a dry part
of the beach and begins to
excavate a pit with her flippers. Once the cavity is right she deposits
100 to 125 eggs. She then covers the egg cavity using her rear flippers
and packs down sand over the nest to disguise it. When the work is done,
the female slowly returns to
the sea.
What about the hatchlings?
About 60 days after the female lays her eggs, the small turtles begin
to hatch. They use a sharp tooth to break open the shell. All of the hatchlings
join together to dig out of the nest, a job that can take several days.
During the cool night, the 2 inch long hatchlings emerge from their sandy
nest and scramble toward the sea.
It is during this run to the sea that many hatchlings fall prey to waiting
predators. Once in the water, hatchlings swim several miles off shore
where they catch ocean currents. The hatchlings stay in the open water
for several years before returning to nearshore waters.
Why are loggerheads threatened?
The life of a loggerhead sea turtle is difficult. It is estimated that
only 1 of every 10,000 hatchlings survives to adulthood. There are many
reasons for this, some natural, some man-made. Each year thousands of
turtles become entangled and drown in fishing nets. Thousands of turtles
are killed each year when they mistakenly eat trash and debris . By following
some of the guidelines in this brochure, we can all help ensure that the
loggerhead sea turtle remains an integral part of the ecology of Hilton
Head Island.
What You Can do to Protect
Loggerhead Sea Turtles
Remove
beach litter
Balloons, plastic bags, foam, fishing gear and other
non-degradable litter can cause the deaths of many sea turtles who mistake
them for food.
Observe
from a distance
If you encounter a nesting turtle, do not shine any lights on or around
her - she may abandon her effort to nest. Do not use flash photography.
Stay behind the turtle so that she cannot see you.
Do
not harass a turtle
Don't touch or prod her to move. Stay out of the way as she crawls back
to the water.
Leave
nest sites alone
If you see a nest, don't disturb it. leave any identification markers
in place. If you find a hatchling wandering in daylight, place it on
moist sand in a dry container, shade it and call one of the numbers
on the back of this brochure.
Report
injured turtles
Call to report dead or injured turtles.
Lights Out!
The
most important way you can protect Hilton Head Island's loggerhead sea
turtles is to turn the lights out!
Sea turtle hatchlings usually emerge from
the nest at night. They orient themselves toward the brightest horizon
and dash towards the sea. Lights from buildings and streets near the beach
disorient the hatchlings, and they wander inland where they often die
from exposure or predation. If they don't make it to the ocean quickly,
many hatchlings will die of dehydration in the sun or be caught by predators
like birds and crabs.
Artificial lights also discourage females
from nesting. The Town of Hilton Head Island requires that lights on structures
visible from the beach be shielded or turned off after 10 PM from May
1 to October 31. Any windows facing the beach must also be covered with
draperies or shade screens.
Remember,
lights out for turtles!
Learn More About Sea Turtles
Contact these organizations for more information
about the loggerhead sea turtle or to report strandings:
The
Coastal Discovery Museum
(843) 689-6767
Hilton Head Island Marine Turtle Stranding Representatives:
Sally
Krebs -(843)341-4690
Ed Drane - (843)-341-4685
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources:
General Information - 1-803-795-6350
Wildlife Hotline - 1-800-922-5431
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