Name:__________________________________________ Date:________ Period:________

Atlantic Loggerheads in Florida

The Loggerhead turtle is found in nearly all of the world's temperate and tropical oceans.

The Loggerhead turtle is the most common sea turtle found off the United States shore including the
shores of Florida. These turtles are named for their large head that support their powerful jaws with
enable them to feed on hard shell organisms such as whelks and crabs. These turtles are very large and
their shells can grow to anywhere between 2.5 and 3.5 feet. An adult Loggerhead can weigh anywhere
from 150 to 375 pounds. These turtles come to shore approximately every 2 (on average 2.7) years to
nest, laying approximately 3 - 6 nest per season, each nest contains on average 114 eggs.
Factors such as coastal development, bycatching and excessive nest predation are leading to a
decrease of the population number all across Florida's shores. Coastal development has made a big
impact on the Loggerheads because it is not only habitat loss for the turtle but it also is manipulating the
ocean around the shores and damaging the reefs. Not only is the coast being built on but the increase in
vehicle traffic on the beach is having a big effect on the survival rates of the newborn turtles. Bycatching
has led to a major population loss because generally the adult turtles are being caught in the commercial
fishing nets. This leads to the decline in birth rates and repopulation of the turtle. Excessive nest
predation has also been a threat because of the decrease in birth survival rates. Many turtle protection
companies try to protect the nest to keep these predators out, but on beaches where they don't protect
especially in poorer countries where the resources to help these turtles are scarce.
With all these threats the Loggerhead turtle population has been going down through the years. The
Loggerhead turtles are important because the way the Loggerheads feed on their hard-shell prey they
recycle important nutrients and keep ocean floor sediment in balance. Also since the turtles carry a colony
of plants and organisms on their shells, which serve as important habitats as well, they help a lot of
organism to create a habitat for them to live. As many as 100 species of animals have been recorded to
be living on the back of a turtle shell one time.
The estimated number of nesting female Loggerhead turtles is 40,000 to 50,000. Since the males don't
come to shore they cannot get an exact count on population. The Loggerhead turtle is currently labeled
vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

# of Nests on Hillsboro Beach

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

54

61

79

47

31

1. What is causing the Loggerhead population to decrease in Florida? Why is causing the population to
decline?

2. Why are Loggerhead turtles important to the ocean ecosystem?

3. How has coastal development affected the turtles habitat and population? What is happening on the
shores causing harm to the turtles?

4. What do Loggerhead turtles eat? How are they able to eat this?

5. How many eggs do the Loggerhead turtle lay per nest? How many nest do they lay each nesting
season?