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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Animals

Turtles

Loggerhead turtle

Caretta caretta

A loggerhead has a heavy head built for crushing shellfish, not for cropping seagrass.

VulnerableIn 89 Atlas countries

Vulnerable (IUCN, 2015) means it is at high risk of extinction in the wild. Ten regional populations are assessed on their own, from Critically Endangered to Least Concern.

Loggerhead turtle at the surface feeding on Portuguese man o' war
Photo: Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, iNaturalist, CC BY
Loggerhead turtle swimming toward camera over a Caribbean reef
Photo: Dan Schofield, iNaturalist, CC BY
Loggerhead turtle gliding over reef, large head and flippers
Photo: Dan Schofield, iNaturalist, CC BY
Loggerhead turtle swimming over seagrass in green water
Photo: Annika Lindqvist, iNaturalist, CC BY
Loggerhead turtle swimming above seagrass, flippers spread
Photo: Annika Lindqvist, iNaturalist, CC BY
Loggerhead turtle swimming in dark water, big head in view
Photo: Michael Bommerer, iNaturalist, CC BY
Loggerhead turtle resting at the ocean surface
Photo: Adam J. Searcy, iNaturalist, CC BY
Loggerhead hatchlings crawling across the beach toward the sea
Photo: Eliane Küpfer, iNaturalist, CC BY-SA

Photos show the species, not always the places on this page.

Length

Shell usually about 0.76 to 1.07 m (2.5 to 3.5 ft)

Weight

Usually about 91 to 159 kg (200 to 350 lb)

Next to a person

The shell is about half to two-thirds as long as an adult is tall; it weighs about as much as one or two adults

What it eats

Crabs, conch and other hard-shelled prey, crushed with powerful jaws.

Around people

Calm, give space

How it lives

The loggerhead is a hard-shelled sea turtle of coasts and the open ocean. It has a large head and powerful jaws for crushing hard-shelled prey, such as crabs and conch, which it finds on the bottom. Its shell is reddish-brown on top and pale yellow underneath. It nests on temperate to subtropical beaches, and adult males have a long tail that reaches past the shell.

Where it goes

Young loggerheads from Japan cross the North Pacific to feed off Baja California, Mexico, and one tagged turtle swam the other way, from Baja to Japan, in 368 days. In the Mediterranean, 18 females tracked from Zakynthos, Greece, in 2004 to 2007 split: 10 went north to the Adriatic and western Greece, and 8 went south to North Africa, many to the Gulf of Gabès in Tunisia.

Populations

Oman has the second largest loggerhead nesting group in the world. In the United States they nest mainly in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. The North Pacific population nests only in Japan, and the South Pacific population mainly in Australia, with some in New Caledonia. Loggerheads also nest in Cabo Verde and in the eastern Mediterranean.

Meet it respectfully

Look only, and never touch, chase, feed or block a turtle. In the Zakynthos marine park, keep at least 15 m away, watch for no more than 15 minutes underwater or 10 minutes at the surface, never come from the front, and leave nesting beaches at sunset. At Mon Repos, Australia, turtle watching is only on ranger-led tours.

Fun fact

Tap the bulb to light it up.

Where it goes

Follow its journey

Choose a journey and watch it travel. Every line comes from satellite tracking or documented research, and the source is named.

StartEndJourney (the line joins documented areas; real paths vary)

Where you may meet it

Loggerhead turtle in the Ocean Atlas

Places we have researched where this animal is recorded. It is never guaranteed, and some places are for watching from the boat only.

FijiTanzaniaW. SaharaCanadaUnited States of AmericaKazakhstanUzbekistanPapua New GuineaIndonesiaArgentinaChileDem. Rep. CongoSomaliaKenyaSudanChadHaitiDominican Rep.RussiaBahamasFalkland Is.NorwayGreenlandFr. S. Antarctic LandsTimor-LesteSouth AfricaLesothoMexicoUruguayBrazilBoliviaPeruColombiaPanamaCosta RicaNicaraguaHondurasEl SalvadorGuatemalaBelizeVenezuelaGuyanaSurinameFranceEcuadorPuerto RicoJamaicaCubaZimbabweBotswanaNamibiaSenegalMaliMauritaniaBeninNigerNigeriaCameroonTogoGhanaCôte d'IvoireGuineaGuinea-BissauLiberiaSierra LeoneBurkina FasoCentral African Rep.CongoGabonEq. GuineaZambiaMalawiMozambiqueeSwatiniAngolaBurundiIsraelLebanonMadagascarPalestineGambiaTunisiaAlgeriaJordanUnited Arab EmiratesQatarKuwaitIraqOmanVanuatuCambodiaThailandLaosMyanmarVietnamNorth KoreaSouth KoreaMongoliaIndiaBangladeshBhutanNepalPakistanAfghanistanTajikistanKyrgyzstanTurkmenistanIranSyriaArmeniaSwedenBelarusUkrainePolandAustriaHungaryMoldovaRomaniaLithuaniaLatviaEstoniaGermanyBulgariaGreeceTurkeyAlbaniaCroatiaSwitzerlandLuxembourgBelgiumNetherlandsPortugalSpainIrelandNew CaledoniaSolomon Is.New ZealandAustraliaSri LankaChinaTaiwanItalyDenmarkUnited KingdomIcelandAzerbaijanGeorgiaPhilippinesMalaysiaBruneiSloveniaFinlandSlovakiaCzechiaEritreaJapanParaguayYemenSaudi ArabiaN. CyprusCyprusMoroccoEgyptLibyaEthiopiaDjiboutiSomalilandUgandaRwandaBosnia and Herz.MacedoniaSerbiaMontenegroKosovoTrinidad and TobagoS. SudanLastovo, CroatiaLošinj, CroatiaVis and Komiža, CroatiaAlonissos, GreeceAmorgos, GreeceAntiparos, GreeceAthens Riviera and Attica, GreeceCorfu, GreeceCrete, GreeceFolegandros, GreeceHalkidiki, GreeceKalamata and Messinia, GreeceKalymnos, GreeceKea, GreeceKefalonia, GreeceKos, GreeceMilos, GreeceNaxos, GreeceNisyros, GreeceRhodes, GreeceSkopelos, GreeceZakynthos, GreeceCabo de Palos and Cartagena, SpainEl Hierro and La Restinga, SpainFormentera, SpainFuerteventura, SpainGran Canaria, SpainIbiza, SpainJávea (Xàbia), SpainL'Estartit and the Medes Islands, SpainLa Herradura and Costa Tropical, SpainLa Palma, SpainLanzarote, SpainMallorca, SpainMenorca, SpainMálaga and the Costa del Sol, SpainTabarca and Alicante, SpainTarifa and the Strait of Gibraltar, SpainTenerife, SpainFlorida Keys (Key Largo), United StatesLa Jolla and the Channel Islands, United StatesMaui, United StatesOʻahu, United StatesSan Diego and La Jolla, United StatesJuneau and Southeast Alaska, United StatesGlacier Bay, United StatesSeward and Kenai Fjords, United StatesDhofar and the Hallaniyat Islands, OmanMusandam and Khasab, OmanMuscat and the Daymaniyat Islands, OmanOkinawa, JapanBaird Bay and Eyre Peninsula, AustraliaBarunguba and Narooma, AustraliaBremer Bay, AustraliaCairns, Port Douglas and the Ribbon Reefs, AustraliaChristmas Island, AustraliaCocos (Keeling) Islands, AustraliaLady Elliot Island, AustraliaLord Howe Island, AustraliaNingaloo, AustraliaRowley Shoals, AustraliaTasman Peninsula and Eaglehawk Neck, AustraliaMaria Island and the east coast, AustraliaBourail, Poé and Déva, New CaledoniaNouméa and the Great Southern Lagoon, New CaledoniaPoindimié and Hienghène, New CaledoniaÎle des Pins (Kunié), New CaledoniaSal, Cabo VerdeBoa Vista, Cabo VerdeLa Ventana, MexicoGuadalupe Island, MexicoDjerba and the Gulf of Gabès, TunisiaMonastir and Kuriat, TunisiaTabarka and the Coral Coast, TunisiaFernando de Noronha, BrazilAbrolhos, BrazilPraia do Forte, BrazilSanta Catarina whale coast, BrazilBonito, BrazilLittle Cayman, Cayman IslandsGrand Cayman, Cayman IslandsCayman Brac, Cayman IslandsWestpunt, CuraçaoWillemstad and the central coast, CuraçaoCuraçao Marine Park (southeast coast), CuraçaoKlein Curaçao, CuraçaoCôte des Arcadins, HaitiÎle-à-Vache, HaitiThree Bays Protected Area, HaitiGrand Turk, Turks and Caicos IslandsSalt Cay, Turks and Caicos IslandsProvidenciales and Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos IslandsWest Caicos and French Cay, Turks and Caicos IslandsSalt Island and the RMS Rhone, British Virgin IslandsNorman Island and the Indians, British Virgin IslandsVirgin Gorda, British Virgin IslandsAnegada and Horseshoe Reef, British Virgin IslandsKarachi turtle beaches (Hawksbay and Sandspit), PakistanChurna Island, PakistanAstola Island, PakistanDaran Beach, Jiwani, PakistanPort Antonio and Negril, JamaicaKaş, TürkiyeHawar Islands, BahrainNorthern pearl beds and reefs, BahrainDahlak Archipelago and Dahlak Marine National Park, EritreaRas Hafun to Alula coast, SomaliaBajuni Islands, SomaliaOstend and Nieuwpoort coast, BelgiumBay of Kotor, MontenegroUlcinj coast, MontenegroParke Marino, ArubaPalm Beach and West Point, ArubaLittle Bay and the west coast, MontserratSouthern lagoon and Direction Island, Cocos (Keeling) IslandsPulu Keeling (North Keeling), Cocos (Keeling) IslandsAjaccio and the Gulf of Ajaccio, FranceBonifacio, Porto-Vecchio and the Lavezzi Islands, FranceMarseille, the Calanques and Cassis, FrancePort-Cros, Porquerolles and Hyères, FranceVillefranche-sur-Mer and Nice, FranceFakaofo atoll, TokelauSocotra Archipelago, YemenBay of Gibraltar and the Strait, GibraltarFaial and Horta, PortugalMadeira, PortugalPico (Madalena and Lajes), PortugalPrincess Alice Bank, PortugalCyprus, CyprusAliwal Shoal and Umkomaas, South AfricaCape Town and Hermanus, South AfricaSodwana Bay, South AfricaIfaty and Mangily, MadagascarNosy Be, MadagascarÎle Sainte-Marie, MadagascarLa Digue, SeychellesMahé, SeychellesPraslin and Curieuse, SeychellesLos Roques Archipelago, VenezuelaMochima, VenezuelaRéunion, RéunionMalpelo, ColombiaGorgona, ColombiaNuquí, Bahía Solano and Utría, ColombiaProvidencia and Santa Catalina, ColombiaSan Andrés, ColombiaWuzhizhou Island, Sanya, ChinaSanya coral coast, ChinaXiamen Bay, ChinaEilat and the Coral Beach Nature Reserve, IsraelTofo, MozambiqueSolovetsky Islands, White Sea, RussiaKandalaksha Gulf, White Sea, RussiaCommander Islands, RussiaPiltun, northeast Sakhalin, RussiaTamarin and Flic en Flac, MauritiusBlue Bay and Mahébourg, MauritiusBelle Mare, MauritiusRodrigues, MauritiusSindori, Jeju, South KoreaXiaoliuqiu, TaiwanHualien, TaiwanCabo Polonio, UruguayIsla de Lobos, UruguayChiloé and the Gulf of Corcovado, ChileFrancisco Coloane, Strait of Magellan, ChilePunta de Choros and the Humboldt Archipelago, ChileRapa Nui, ChileRobinson Crusoe Island (Juan Fernández), ChileRoatán, HondurasUtila, HondurasGuanaja, HondurasCayos Cochinos, HondurasInner Hebrides (Coll, Tiree and Mull), United KingdomMoray Firth and Chanonry Point, United KingdomOrkney and Scapa Flow, United KingdomFarne Islands, United KingdomLundy, United KingdomWest Cork coast, IrelandDingle Peninsula and Blasket Islands, IrelandShannon Estuary and Loop Head, IrelandCulebra, Puerto RicoVieques, Puerto RicoLa Parguera, Puerto RicoRincon and the Mona Passage, Puerto RicoCap Blanc peninsula, Western SaharaBimini, The BahamasAndros, The BahamasExuma Cays, The BahamasEleuthera, The BahamasDahab, EgyptMarsa Alam, EgyptPond Inlet and the Nunavut floe edge, CanadaDigby Neck and Brier Island, CanadaSable Island, CanadaHimarë and Porto Palermo, AlbaniaSarandë and Ksamil, AlbaniaVlorë, Karaburun and Sazan, AlbaniaPlacencia and the Southern Reef, BelizeWadden Sea, NetherlandsZeeland coast, NetherlandsReef platform and north shore, BermudaBanc d'Arguin National Park, MauritaniaNouadhibou and Cap Blanc, MauritaniaPuerto Madryn and Punta Loma, ArgentinaPenínsula Valdés and Puerto Pirámides, ArgentinaAmed, Bali, IndonesiaGili Trawangan, IndonesiaKomodo, IndonesiaGili Air, IndonesiaMaratua and Derawan, IndonesiaRaja Ampat, IndonesiaNusa Penida, IndonesiaLovina, Bali, IndonesiaKavieng and New Ireland, Papua New GuineaKimbe Bay, Papua New GuineaMilne Bay, Papua New GuineaTufi (Oro Province), Papua New GuineaCham Islands and Hoi An, VietnamCon Dao, VietnamNha Trang, VietnamPhu Quoc, VietnamDe Gi coast, VietnamMáncora, Los Órganos and Cabo Blanco, PeruPunta Sal and the Tumbes coast, PeruParacas and the Ballestas Islands, PeruWalvis Bay and Swakopmund, NamibiaWatamu, KenyaDiani, KenyaShimoni and Kisite, KenyaSaloum Delta, SenegalCorn Islands, NicaraguaSan Juan del Sur and La Flor, NicaraguaChacocente, NicaraguaBayahibe and the south coast, Dominican RepublicMafia Island, TanzaniaMikindani and Mnazi Bay, TanzaniaZanzibar - Matemwe, Mnemba and Chumbe, TanzaniaKish Island, IranHengam Island and Dolphins' Bay, IranQeshm Island and the Hara mangroves, IranDayer-Nakhiloo Marine National Park, IranAbu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesPerhentian Islands, MalaysiaTioman Island, MalaysiaWonsan coast, North KoreaLe Carbet and the Caribbean coast, MartiniqueUmluj and the Red Sea islands, Saudi ArabiaYanbu, Saudi ArabiaJeddah and Obhur, Saudi ArabiaAl Lith, Saudi ArabiaGulf of Aqaba coast, Saudi ArabiaLittle Belt, DenmarkOresund near Helsingor, DenmarkBouillante and the Cousteau Reserve, GuadeloupeMayotte lagoon, MayotteTrincomalee and Nilaveli, Sri LankaKaikōura, New ZealandPoor Knights Islands, New ZealandBay of Islands, New ZealandHauraki Gulf, New ZealandAkaroa and Banks Peninsula, New ZealandLakshadweep (Agatti, Bangaram, Kadmat), IndiaNetrani and Murudeshwar, IndiaSwaraj Dweep (Havelock) and Barren Island, IndiaDrake and Caño, Costa RicaQuepos and Golfo Dulce, Costa RicaHeligoland, GermanyKreidesee Hemmoor, GermanyRuegen and the Baltic coast, GermanyJames Bay and the island marine park, Saint HelenaGalibi, SurinameBraamspunt, Suriname

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AlbaniaArgentinaArubaAustraliaThe BahamasBahrainBelgiumBelizeBermudaBrazilBritish Virgin IslandsCabo VerdeCanadaCayman IslandsChileChinaCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombiaCosta RicaCroatiaCuraçaoCyprusDenmarkDominican RepublicEgyptEritreaFranceGermanyGibraltarGreeceGuadeloupeHaitiHondurasIndiaIndonesiaIranIrelandIsraelJamaicaJapanKenyaMadagascarMalaysiaMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMontenegroMontserratMozambiqueNamibiaNetherlandsNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNorth KoreaOmanPakistanPapua New GuineaPeruPortugalPuerto RicoRéunionRussiaSaint HelenaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSeychellesSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSpainSri LankaSurinameTaiwanTanzaniaTokelauTunisiaTürkiyeTurks and Caicos IslandsUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayVenezuelaVietnamWestern SaharaYemen
Sources for this page

Facts checked 25 September 2026. Photos: Unsplash licence, or Creative Commons as shown on each photo.

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