Hobbies And Interests
Diet
Loggerhead sea turtles are considered omnivorous because they will occasionally eat algae and vascular plants, but their diet is comprised mainly of sea creatures. They commonly eat shellfish like conch and horseshoe crabs, and invertebrates like sponges and jellyfish. They will also eat fish and fish eggs. The loggerhead's dietary choices vary with age, most likely due to the fact that they inhabit different areas throughout their life stages.
Habitat
The loggerhead sea turtle's habitat changes depending on its life stage. It is born on the beach and spends its first couple of days getting into the water and swimming through the surf. It then finds a tangled mass of seaweed floating in warm water currents, where it makes its home. Loggerheads move to coastal areas near the shore at around 12 years of age. They typically stay there until they reach maturity at around age 30.
Reproductive Behavior
Loggerhead sea turtles are migratory animals. They migrate year round, moving toward warmer waters close to the equator in the wintertime and moving back up to their nesting grounds in early spring. They can breed year round, but prefer the months of May and June. During courtship, the male will swim around the female and bite her. Eventually he will try to mount her. The female will decide whether to accept or reject his advances. If she accepts, they will mate for hours. Other males will often try to interfere with a mating pair.
Threats and Conservation Status
The loggerhead sea turtle is considered an endangered species and has "Threatened: Endangered" status with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Loggerheads are declining in number, due primarily to frequent accidental capture. The turtles get tangled in nets and traps meant for other marine animals. The U.S. has enforced certain gear modifications and requirements upon commercial fishing boats, such as turtle exclusionary devices, in an attempt to lessen this issue. Predation is another problem. Eggs are often destroyed by land predators such as raccoons and foxes, and destruction rates can be as high as 95 percent. Hatchlings are defenseless and are often preyed upon by birds and marine predators. Other threats include beachfront development and oceanic pollutants.