Jupiter Marine Spotlight: Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)
The Loggerhead Turtle is named for its oversized head and is on the International Endangered species list. It’s the most common turtle to encounter here in Florida, especially during nesting season. The female Loggerhead may travel over 1000 miles to come back to the beach that she hatched on as a baby to lay her own eggs as an adult. She’ll nest about every 2-3 years and will lay eggs around 4 times in one nesting season. They rest on top and along the Jupiter Ledges during the day to make their way over to the beaches at night and lay her eggs. The Loggerhead Turtle has a very powerful jaw that they use to eat on crabs, mollusks, and encrusted animals that are attached to reefs and rocks, and can weigh between 200 and 350 pounds.
