What Turtles Are Located in the Bay in New Jersey?

Atlantic Leatherback Turtle

• Not only is the Atlantic leatherback turtle the world's largest sea turtle, it's also one of the planet's largest living reptiles, growing up to 8 feet in length, 12 feet in width and weighing up to 1,600 lbs. Leatherbacks are among the most migratory sea turtles, and are often seen in New Jersey's coastal waters during the summer. Due to the leatherback's massive size, a turtle seen from a distance can be mistaken for an overturned rowboat. One of the hazards facing the Atlantic leatherback turtle are helium balloons that are released and land in the ocean, where they can cause internal damage in turtles or other sea creatures if swallowed.

Atlantic Loggerhead Turtle

• Not as big as the leatherback, the Atlantic loggerhead turtle is still quite large, weighing up to 300 lbs. and growing from 4 to 5 feet in length---although there have been occasional reports of giant loggerheads reaching twice that size. The loggerhead's eggs are a sought-after delicacy in some parts of the world, and commercial harvesting of their eggs has contributed to population decline. Another factor endangering the loggerhead turtle is commercial fishing, with many loggerheads drowning after becoming trapped in fishing nets and lines.

Atlantic Green Turtle

• The largest hard-shelled sea turtle, an Atlantic green turtle has a black shell after hatching, which eventually changes to swirling shades of gray, green, brown and black. Young Atlantic green turtles are omnivorous, eating both meat and vegetation, but become herbivores as they get older, feeding primarily on algae and sea grasses. The beauty of their shells has led to Atlantic green turtles being hunted in many parts of the world, and populations that had previously existed in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands are now extinct. Outside of New Jersey, the largest populations of Atlantic green turtles are found in Florida.

Atlantic Hawksbill Turtle

• Atlantic hawksbill turtles prefers a warm, tropical climate, and are generally only seen in New Jersey waters during the warmer summer months. These turtles grow to about 36 inches in length and are threatened by a wide range of predators, including humans who hunt them for their shells, animals that eat their eggs, and sharks who feed on mature turtles. Females lay eggs once every four years, returning to the same beach where they themselves were hatched. For this reason, any disturbance to a beach nesting area can effect entire generations of turtles.