Loggerhead Sea Turtle
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta). Its shell is reddish brown. On average, the Loggerhead Sea Turtle grows to an average of 92cm. Its average body mass is around 113 kg. It has dark brown flippers which have a white margin. Their skin colour depends on the sea in which these turtles can be found and the depth in which they live in. These turtles live for around 46-47 years. Males can be easily distinguished from the females due to the fact that the males have a thicker and shorter shell than females.
The shell of the
loggerhead sea turtle has two sections: the carapace and the plastron. The shell is also divided into 11 or 12 different sections.
The Loggerhead lives in the Mediterranean Sea and the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. The majority of its life is mainly spent in saltwater, while the females briefly enter the grassy, sandy shores where they were born. It is an omnivore creature, but it mainly eats invertebrates. Its jaws are also useful for breaking invertebrates' hard shells. While still young, the turtles are easy prey for predators, and even while still eggs. When they grow up these changes as due their large size preditism is limited to large predators, such as killer wales. 1
These turtles are also considered an endangered species. This is due to plastic bags, unintended fishing gear and poaching. Turtle excluder devices are being implemented to give them escape roots. The lack of suitable beaches and introduction of new predators aren't helping either.
What can be done in the Future for the Loggerhead Turtle? In Malta the loggerhead turtle is quite rare. It is a species that lives in the Mediterranean
Region
and
other
Oceanic Regions. In the Mediterranean they are threatened. The loggerhead turtle is a species that has a major role in the Mediterranean 2
ecosystem because it stabilises the population of the jellyfish, and so many other plankton species. It is the largest sea turtle species in the world and it can measure to 213cm. They reproduce once a year. When the female is ready to lay her eggs, she goes on the beach she was born in and laid her eggs in the sand. In Malta some programs are in progress to help the species. For example in the Torri ta’ San Luċjan, a project is in progress to help endangered species in the Mediterranean Sea. But unfortunately not enough is done. We can reserve the
island
Mediterranean
of
Comino
for
conservation
and
research, or we can start by poluting less into the sea. We should make marine reaserch and conservation one of our priorities. After all we as an island depend heavily on the sea as an economic rescource.
Throughout the Mediterranean the Loggerhead Turtle is very common or should I say it used to be common as unintentionally or intentionally the Turtle population has decreased extravagantly especially in the Sicilian and Maltese archipelago. The turtle is being killed by fishing nets because of careless
fishing
and
because
of
irresponsible
people throwing waste especially plastic bags. These plastic bags look like jellyfish to this poor 3
animal so since the jellyfish is in his diet he would obviously eat it and end up suffocating. Another reason why the turtle is becoming even
more
scarce
is
because
the
beaches in which the turtles are famous for laying eggs are being over populated by humans during mating seasons the amount of eggs are reduced and even because if the eggs are laid there would be human interference and this would probably kill the eggs. So what can we do‌. An idea is that if the fisherman catches the turtle he should leave immediately to take the turtle to a hospital, but most of the time this will not work so another suggestion would be that each fisherman could take a free course to learn what to do if the turtle gets caught in the net. Now since the eggs are being reduced because
of
some
points
that
were
mentioned in the previous statements, you should close an area of the beach during mating season so that the eggs will hatch as the turtles born there will come in time to lay their eggs. If eggs are laid a huge 4
enforcement must be made so that these eggs will stay untouched and that the area will be closed because everyone will be interested to see the eggs and end up killing them. In Malta the small island called Kemmuna is most popular sightings of the turtle in the Maltese archipelago, so an idea could be that they preserve the waters surrounding it so the turtle’s habitat will not be destroyed, decreased
or
damaged
by
human
means. Since, Human activities have tipped the scales against the survival of these species. Nearly all species of sea turtle are classified as Endangered. Slaughtered for their eggs, meat, skin and shells, sea turtles suffer from poaching and over-exploitation. Humans should find other solutions like trying to decrease the amount of slaughter on these poor animals and try to use other species to even the food chain out if possible. Still the most way the turtles are dying is because people are being careless and are throwing plastic bags in the sea and not knowing
the
consequences.
The
simple
solution is to inform people more about this tragedy because if the loggerhead continues to decrease the amount of jellyfish will 5
increase greatly and that is not what people would like. Can you imagine bays filled with Jellyfish, not the best circumstances even for tourism? Some people might say that even though there are many ways to save them people wouldn’t know how, some institutes can send out petitions or even a formal letter to authority even protests are effective in the circumstances that it might lead to. The WWF is a famous group which helps in animal awareness and the loggerhead turtle is one of the animals included. In the end these creatures are beautiful and this short information sheet will hopefully open a good number of people’s eyes so that they can help to increase the awareness in the Mediterranean.
Even
though
governments
of
certain countries are trying to do something it still not enough, so everyone who is reading this do your part and spread the word. In the future any people next to the sea should not litter and pollute the water especially the throwing away of plastic bags and of plastic rings because those are the most harmful and deadly to the loggerhead. Another factor is that if any fisherman catch a fish and let it go with the hook should stop letting them go with the hook, as if the loggerhead turtle goes to eat this fish it will end up chocking and eventually dying.
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Sometimes fishermen catch the turtle by mistake in their nets and leave them to die. In the future the fishermen should be more aware about the turtle hospitals around the Mediterranean so if this tragedy happens the fishermen could go quickly to the hospital to try to save the loggerhead. These small things can make a huge difference so let us start making a difference now. In Malta loggerhead turtles are quite rare. As Maltese citizens are polluting the very water they live in and they are in the verge of extinction‌ We can stop this by stopping the littering of plastic bags in the sea. As the turtles would think that the plastic bags are jelly fish and they would try to eat it and die. This is the main cause of most deaths Another way most loggerhead turtles die is because they get stuck in the fishing nets of fish farmers. Loggerheads are highly migratory and particularly vulnerable to accidental capture in the nets and long-lines of the world's fisheries. Although Turtle Excluder Devices (TED), fitted into shrimp nets in some countries have lessened the threat, the use of these devices is not yet mandatory everywhere. Long line by catch mitigation trials are also being conducted in several places across the world, but will they be in time to halt the decline? 7
The age of sexual maturity has been estimated at between 10 and 30 years but studies in Australia indicate that it may be between 34 and 37 years. Females nest an average of 3 to 5 times per season. Between 40 and 190 eggs are laid per clutch. Data from the USA suggests that nesting takes place about every 2 years. Even though they lay a lot of eggs, the mother wouldn’t take care of the eggs and leave them alone wouldn’t protect them. Most eggs end up being destroyed by children going to swim or others get eaten by eagles.
Loggerhead sea turtles are very rare in Malta and are on the verge of extinction. Like all sea turtles, they are in danger in the oceans and also on beaches. Their nests are often lost to larger animals as well as to shoreline erosion. Hatchlings are preyed upon by other animals. Sharks and other large fish are fierce predators to Loggerheads and all other sea turtle species throughout their entire life cycle. Loggerheads’ life span can range from 30 years to 50 years or more. Loggerheads are listed as "Threatened" on the Endangered Species Act. Most deaths occur due to drowning in fishing nets or as a result of long line fishing practices. Like all turtle species, human harvesting is a serious threat to their survival: Loggerhead eggs and meat are sold on the black market for consumption and their shells are used to make items such as boat paddles.
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The total Loggerhead population is currently estimated at about 60,000. Ways in how we can help the loggerhead turtle 1. Turn Out Lights Visible From the Beach! Sea turtle hatchlings use light and reflections from the moon to find their way to the water at night. Artificial lighting confuses the hatchlings and causes them to head inland instead of out to sea 2. Reduce the Amount of Garbage You Produce and Clean Up Trash You See On the Beach. Sea turtles can become tangled in plastic and trash both on the shore and in the water. Discarded items such as fishing lines, balloons and plastic bags may also be confused for food and eaten by sea turtles, often resulting in injury or death. 3. Reduce the Amount of Chemicals You Use. The chemicals you use on your lawn and in your home can actually wash into the coastal waters – killing plants and animals. 4. Be Aware of Sea Turtle Nesting Areas and Avoid Nesting and Hatching Turtles. Flash lights and people disturb turtles when they are nesting, or trying to nest, on the beach.
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