ࡱ> 574 bjbjVV 4<< # O0/EEEE   $!>     EE  "EE Eېb|B"0O_d.__(          O    _          : Biology and conservation of loggerhead sea turtles Ecological significance: This collection of images shows events associated with the reproduction of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) - a marine species with a worldwide distribution. Loggerheads are found in tropical and temperate oceans, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea. In North America, loggerheads range throughout the Gulf of Mexico, along the Atlantic coast from Florida to Newfoundland, and along the Pacific Ocean from Panama northward to British Columbia, Canada. Adult loggerheads can exceed 84 long and 300 lbs, and are recognizable by their reddish-brown shells. Loggerheads are important predators, feeding mainly on bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Young loggerheads are eaten by a variety of predators, while adults are vulnerable to sharks and other large predators. Loggerheads can live for 45-65 years. Loggerheads spend their lives in open ocean or estuarine habitats. To reproduce, female loggerheads swim onto dark beaches and bury their eggs in the sand just above the high tide line. Mature females become reproductive very 3-4 years. Each reproductive female produces an average of four clutches per year, with each clutch averaging 110 eggs. In the United States, they nest from May through October. After an incubation period of six to eleven weeks, loggerhead eggs hatch at night to reduce predation risk and damage from extreme temperatures. Hatchlings range from light brown to almost black. They are less than 4.6 cm (1.8) long and weigh about 20 grams (0.7 oz). After crawling up through the sand, loggerhead hatchlings instinctively head to the ocean. They are attracted by the light of the moon and stars naturally reflected off the ocean. Loggerheads are listed as Endangered on a worldwide basis. They are protected by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. In the United States, loggerheads are listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act and are protected by federal and state laws. The loggerhead nesting population in the southeastern United States continues to decline, and conservation experts recommend that this species be reclassified from Threatened to Endangered. Loggerheads are threatened as adults in the ocean and as eggs and hatchlings on land. At one time, adults and eggs were overharvested for food. Currently, adults are killed by boat strikes and by being trapped in fishing trawls, crab pots, and fishing gear. Reproduction is threatened by loss of beach habitat, predation of eggs and juveniles by feral animals like foxes and raccoons, and disorientation by artificial light near shore. Sources of artificial light include streetlights, sky glow, exterior lights on commercial establishments, beachfront homes, and even people near the beach carrying flashlights and setting bonfires. Artificial lights inhibit loggerhead reproduction in two ways. First, adult females tend to avoid laying their eggs on beaches with artificial light. Second, hatchlings become disoriented and fail to migrate toward the ocean and instead wander along the beach and even further inlands. While wandering, disoriented hatchlings are more susceptible to nocturnal predators and become exhausted. Various efforts have been implemented to reduce threats to loggerheads. The maximum federal fine for harming a threatened species is $25,000. In North Carolina, nests are covered by wire mesh to protect eggs and hatchlings from predators like raccoons. 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