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Caretta caretta
A strong-jawed ocean traveler named for its large head.
Meet this turtle
Loggerheads use powerful jaws to eat hard-shelled prey. Young loggerheads can spend years in the open ocean before moving into coastal feeding areas. Adults migrate between feeding grounds and nesting beaches. Florida and Oman support important nesting populations.
Conservation in context
NOAA identifies separate threatened and endangered populations under U.S. law. Fishing-gear entanglement remains a major threat.
Global assessments and national legal listings answer different questions. For a dated global comparison, see the seven-species guide. Categories can change as assessments are updated.
Think like a scientist
Why might a turtle that eats shellfish need a different head shape from one that eats jellyfish?
Keep exploring
Check the source
NOAA Fisheries: Loggerhead turtle. Source checked . This is an editorial source check, not independent scientific certification.