Facts about the loggerhead

  • Named the loggerhead for their large head and strong crushing jaws
  • Called the 'moving ecosystem' as plants and small animals often reside on their shell
  • Weigh between 155 - 375 pounds
  • The carapace can be 2.5 to 3.5 ft in length
  • Love to feed on bottom-dwelling invertebrates
  • Reach nesting age at approximately 30 years old
  • Will nest 3-6 times a season, in intervals of 2-4 years
  • Lay 120 eggs on average
  • IUCN status: Vulnerable
  • Nesting season at EBSP: May - October

Morning Patrol

Every morning we gather the necessary supplies for marking off the nests and recording data. Then we drive down the beach on our golf cart to search for turtle tracks and nests. We record every false crawl and turtle nest.

If there is a nest we determine if it is in a safe position from the high tide line. If it isn't than we relocate it safely to higher ground, duplicating the exact nest cavity measurements. If the nest is in a safe place then we record a gps location, the nest number and number of eggs (if relocated).

A false crawl is when a sea turtle comes ashore to nest but something frightens her.  She then turns back around and goes into the sea without nesting. Most often her false crawls are caused by human disturbances.