The Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Caretta – Caretta

Caretta – Caretta lives in the sea. We can find it in Oman, Florida, Australia, South Africa, Cyprus and of course in Greece.

              In most places of the world its weight reaches 140 pounds and its length the 124cm. The Mediterranean caretta – caretta is much smaller, its length is about 1m and the width reaches 90cm. The turtle travels long distances each year in search of food. It prefers mostly crabs, jellyfish, octopus, cuttlefish and sea urchins. The caretta – caretta, like other sea turtles, give birth every 2-3 years. Nesting season in Greece is from May until August. The most important nesting place for Loggerhead turtle throughout the Mediterranean is Secania beach in Zakynthos. The turtle returns to spawn her eggs every time on the same beach in which it was born. This is one of the biggest mysteries of nature.

              During the last years the population of caretta – caretta turtles have fallen dramatically. The main reasons of this problem are: 1) the destruction of nesting beaches due to tourism, 2) the eggs are killed by people or boats, 3) trash in the sea…the turtles eat plastic bags thinking they are jellyfish, which is their main food, and they die from suffocation.

              It is estimated that from 1000 chicks only 1 or 2 reach adulthood (about 30 years). The rest are victims of natural enemies or lost and exhausted. That’s why it is important to protect them!

                                                                                                                         Evelina  Spathoula (class b’ )