Reptiles of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

NC Records
Cheloniidae Members:
Caretta caretta - Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Photo: Randy Newman

Photo: Randy Newman, Jody Merritt

Photo: M. Windsor

Photo: R. Newman, B. Fleming

Taxonomy

Class: Reptilia

Order: Testudines

Family: Cheloniidae


Taxonomic Comments: Caretta is a monotypic genus
Species Comments:

Identification

Basis for Records: Photographs of dorsal and ventral surfaces that show the details of the scutes are usually sufficient to identify the specie. Large females are unmistakable.

Field Marks: A large sea turtle with a large head. The carapace is typically brown to reddish-brown but the skin on the front of its body and the sides of the head can be yellowish.

Morphological Features: The carapace has five or more pairs of pleural scutes, the first pair of which contact the cervicals;
the width of the carapace is less than its length (Palmer and Braswell, 1995). The bridge has three or sometimes four inframarginals, all of which lack pores, contrasting with Lepidochelys kempii, which has four inframarginals with pores (Palmer and Braswell; Ernst and Lovich, 2009).

Technical Reference: Palmer and Braswell (1995); Ernst and Lovich (2009)

Online Photos: Google iNaturalist GBIF

Observation Methods: Females can be observed at night when they come ashore to nest and the large tracks they leave are conspicuous until washed away by the tide. Swimming adults can be spotted from piers and can also be seen offshore on pelagic tours.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution Comments: Loggerheads have been observed in all of our coastal counties that border the ocean, potentially nesting along our entire outer coast (this species nests as far north as the Delmarva Peninsula). They have also been recorded within the Roanoke and Pamlico Sounds (Epperly et al., 1995).
Distribution Reference: Palmer and Braswell (1995); NCMNS Herpetology Collection Database (accessed 2023-01)
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.

Key Habitat Requirements

Habitat: In our area, adult Loggerheads are observed mainly in offshore waters in the vicinity of their nesting beaches. Immatures, on the other hand, congregate in sounds and estuaries, where they forage throughout the warmer part of the year.

Biotic Relationships: Loggerheads are omnivorous, feeding on a wide range of invertebrates -- from sponges to cephalopods -- fish, seaweeds, and sea grasses (see long list compiled by Ernst and Lovich, 2009). They feed both up in the water column as well as on the bottom. Favorite foraging sites include reefs, piers, and sea grass beds (Ernsts and Lovich).

As in other sea turtles, eggs and hatchlings are fed upon by a large number of predators, including invertebrates, such as ghost crabs, but many species of predatory birds and mammals. Hatchlings that reach the surf become prey to predatory fish and squids, as well as diving sea birds. Once they reach adulthood, however, their huge size makes them invulnerable to most predators, although they may be attacked by Tiger Sharks and other large species, as well as Killer Whales. Nesting females often show the scars left by such attacks (Ernst and Lovich).

Life History and Autecology

Breeding and Courtship: Females reach reproductive maturity at around 22-35 years and may breed for as much as 32 years after that (see sources cited by Ernst and Lovich, 2009). A given female reproduces only every few years, often making long distance movements from its feeding grounds to its nesting beaches. Mating takes place just offshore of the nesting beaches where males intercept the females as they swmim through their territories. Following nesting, females return to their foraging ground soon after.

Reproductive Mode: Nesting in North Carolina typically takes place from mid-May to mid-August (Palmer and Braswell, 1995). A given female may nest as many as five times in a single year, with clutches ranging from 42 to 220 observed in this state.

Aquatic Life History: Hatchlings -- if successful in reaching the surf -- become pelagic, spending several years well out to sea in floating mats of sargassum seaweed. As they mature, immatures move into inshore waters where they spend the warmer months foraging. In the fall, they move back to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. As they reach adulthood, they spend more of their lives south of our area, returning northward primarily for breeding (Epperly et al., 1995).

General Ecology

Adverse Environmental Impacts

Habitat Loss: Beachfront development and recreational vehicular driving on beaches have had a major impact on the nesting success of this species.

Effects of Introduced Species/Induced Increases of Native Species: Although native, the build-up of raccoon populations along some beaches is having a major impact on the survival of eggs and hatchlings.

Interactions with Humans: This species, like other sea turtles, was once heavily harvested both as eggs and adults. In many countries now, including the United States, they are now protected from at least this form of take. Entanglement in fishing gear, however, continues to be a significant mortality factor, as is collisions with boats and ingestion of plastic waste.

On the positive side, regular patrolling of beaches and effective rehabilitation of cold-stunned or other stranded turtles is having a major beneficial effect, as is the protection of nests and guided marches to the sea of hatchlings. Protection from take, including improvements to fishing gear, has been effective in lowering the mortality of adults. In all these respects, support from the public has been critical, with programs such as those provided by the State Aquariums playing a major role.

Status in North Carolina

NHP State Rank: S2B

Global Rank: G3

Status in North Carolina: T

Global Status: T

Protected Lands: Extensive areas of beach habitats included in the Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores are at least protected from shoreline development. These areas are vulnerable to vehicle driving on these beaches, however, but with the females and nests given protection by regular patrolling by park staff. The same is true for Fort Macon and Hammocks Beach State Parks, as well as several islands protected as state natural areas.

Environmental Threats: Global warming may make some areas of the oceans unsuitable as habitat for this species directly or adversely affect its food supply. Warming of the nesting sites may lead to increasing fewer male hatchlings, due to their temperature-dependent sex determination.

Status Comments: This species is currently considered Threatened within both North Carolina and the United States more generally.

Stewardship: The massive impacts due to human activity have been offset to some extent by including turtle excluders in trawling nets, by protecting nests and head-starting programs aimed at increasing the number of hatchlings reaching the sea, and by rescue of cold-stunned individuals and others that become stranded but are still able to recover.

Photo Gallery for Caretta caretta - Loggerhead Sea Turtle		37 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: M.Windsor Onslow Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman; B. Fleming Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: B.Fleming Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman; B. Fleming Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman; B. Fleming Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman; B. Fleming Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: B.Fleming Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R.Newman, B.FLeming Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: B.Fleming Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: J. Sutton New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: J. Sutton New Hanover Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: A. Moorhead Onslow Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman, E. Abernethy Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman, E. Abernethy Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: A. Moorhead Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman, K. Bleck, E. Abernethy Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Evans Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: B. Fleming Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: B. Fleming; R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: B. Fleming Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: K. Sourbeer Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Newman,Randy Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Newman, Randy Carteret Co. Comment:

Caretta caretta - Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Photo Gallery for Caretta caretta - Loggerhead Sea Turtle

37 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.