Caretta caretta

On our field trip to the Aquarium in the sea turtle hospital, we encountered a rescued loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta).  It was a female who was fairly old.  Loggerheads are found in the Western Atlantic, ranging from Canada to Argentina, and migrate.  It is common for loggerheads to nest in the Carolinas.  This turtle is easy to identify by its large size, flippers and reddish brown color.  To distinguish the loggerhead from other sea turtles, it is best to look at the costals and head plates.  With the loggerhead, the first costal will always touch the nuchal and there are two pairs of head plates.  Loggerheads are direct developing and are 4.1-4.8 cm at hatching.  They hatch at night and follow the moon to enter into the water.  That's why it is important for people with homes along the beach to turn off all lights during hatching season, to ensure that the hatchlings go towards the water and not towards house lights.

I really enjoyed getting to see to the loggerhead in the hospital.  It was being weighed so it was out of the water and you could walk up close to it.  You don't really realize how big sea turtles can get until you actually see one up close.