LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE

LOGGERHEAD TURTLE CARETTA CARETTA

INFORMATION AND CHARACTERISTICS
It is found in most temperate and tropical seas of the world. They inhabit
the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea. The latter houses a
large number of turtles of this species.

In the winter month, the turtles migrate to more tropical waters and
subtropical. They usually frequent coastal areas near coral reefs,
brackish water lagoons and river mouths.

DESCRIPTION OF THE LOGGERHEAD TURTLE

They have a very strong head and jaw. The shell that covers them has
heart-shaped and is harder than that of other turtle species. On this,
hundreds of parasites and organisms such as barnacles and algae inhabit it. Usually, it is
brown, reddish or olive tones.

Although they seem identical to each other, they differ by the number of plates of
bone contained in their shells. Compared to the hawksbill or green turtle, this
It has a more reddish tone in its rough skin.
The loggerhead turtle weighs between 80 and 200 kg as an adult and measures between 70 and 95 cm in length.
Their fins contain two front claws in the case of males and their
thick jaws in both sexes. Of course, the measurements and weight vary from
agreement with the individual.

FEEDING OF THE LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE

It is considered a carnivore but it also feeds on algae and plants.
marinas. It can consume horseshoe crabs, even with their strong and hard shell,
Well, due to the powerful jaw of the caguamas, this is not a difficult task.

Fish, jellyfish, squids, sponges, shrimp, sea urchins, and fish eggs,
they also are part of their diet.
 REPRODUCTION OF THE LOGGERHEAD TURTLE
Sexual maturity is reached at the age of 15 when the turtle measures around
60 cm. Loggerhead turtles are solitary, but for the nesting season, the
male migrates to mating areas.
Once the female accepts, the courtship begins on the surface of the water.
If she does not like her partner, she swims toward the deep end to try to escape, although if
The male is persistent, he will try again.
When achieved, it bites the neck or a part of the female's fin.
He can also sink his two claws to hold on.
Females spawn in tropical or subtropical climates. They deposit
110 to 130 eggs in a hole 25 to 50 cm deep that will hold them
for a minimum of 45 days and a maximum of 80. If the temperature inside the nest is
At 32°C, the offspring will be females, and if it is 28°C or lower, they will be males.
births of offspring of both sexes, the temperature must be 30°C.

At birth, they measure only 39 mm and weigh 40 g.

THREATS TO THE
Loggerhead Turtle

The main predators of

the turtles are the sharks and the
human being. Adults could
attack with its hard bite or
shell, but the eggs and the
the young have no defense at all,
for what this represents a
serious problem for the
reproduction and future
survival.
 At the moment of birth, newborns
they generally emerge at night to
avoid predators like crabs,
seagulls, vultures, crows, raccoons,
dogs, etc. but they don't always manage to escape
of them.

[Link]

ASPECTO GENERAL Aspecto general de la tortuga caguama y rasgos distintivos

The sea turtles
Do you know about turtles?
Which ones have you seen? The ones that walk on the ground or the ones that get into the river or the stream?
All those turtles have legs, as you can see in the drawing.

There are also sea turtles, but instead of legs, they have flippers to be able to swim.
In the following pages, we will get to know the sea turtles that live in Mexico.
Would you like to know how they are born, how they grow, and what they eat?
What else do you want to know about these animals?
We hope you can find it in this book.

Sea turtles are born on the beach; under the sand they break the eggshell, they move their
head and settle in the nest to wait for the sun to set.
So, for the first time in their life, they walk on the sand and then run towards the sea.
On their way to the sea, the newly hatched turtles face some dangers: the seagulls, the
Buzzards, dogs, crabs, and many other animals that roam the coast eat them.
That happens very often, as they have no way to defend themselves and cannot progress quickly.
Of course, sometimes they get lost among the piles of sand, behind pieces of wood or
among the stones.
Thus, they protect themselves a bit, but they do not always save themselves.
Those who manage to escape jump into the sea and swim fast.
What do you think if we continue them?
Here we see one.

With its fins, which help it to walk and swim, it leaves footprints in the sand.
Where will it go?
It moves swiftly, as if moving to the rhythm of very lively music. It carries its shell on the
the loins and at the end of its body it has its tail.

He has already entered the water! and it seems that he is chasing fish. He may be choosing them to
after eating them.
In this drawing, it seems that he got tired and is sunbathing while resting in the water, like
Turtles usually do it.

Once we were told that there are some sea turtles that eat snails, starfish and
up to seagrass. And although they have no teeth, they bite food with their beak, which is hard.
Small turtles grow and grow until they become large.

Among turtles, as among all animals, there are males and females.
Which of the two large turtles will be male?
Notice which one has the biggest tail and a claw on the front fins.
Have you found it yet? That's the male turtle!
When the turtles are already adults, the male mounts the female and they stay like that for a long time.
time, as if they were embracing.

There, the eggs from which the little turtles will be born begin to form.
In this drawing, which is like a photo taken inside the belly of the mother turtle, we can
see the eggs.

Sea turtles are almost always in the water.

The turtles that are going to be moms go out to the beach at night. Some feel insecure and
they move forward with fear a short stretch on the sand. But they take longer to get out of the water than to
return to the sea, where they feel more confident.
The most determined turtles move across the beach sand until they reach the crest, which is like
a little hill. They climb it with great effort, and continue until the sand is flat.

Since water hardly ever reaches there, these turtles start to make the nest. First, they move away the
They dig with their fins to make a large pool, then they dig another smaller and deeper hole.
inside the hole. The turtles stop digging when their flippers no longer touch the bottom of the pit that
they did.

At that moment, they start to lay the eggs.

When the turtles finish laying their eggs, they cover the hole. Then they erase all the tracks of the
nest so that no one can discover the eggs.

Thus, tired after so much work, they return to the sea to eat or to rest.
Meanwhile, the sand heats the eggs for many days, the days of many weeks.

During that time, some animals that come by there, like dogs, pigs, or the
crabs dig through the sand looking for food. When they find a turtle nest, they
They eat all the eggs.
But the main danger to the nests is egg collectors, people who gather turtle eggs for
sell them later.

Turtles are born from the eggs that were protected by the sand and warmed by the sun.
Do you remember that they break the shell, move their head a little, settle down, and wait for it to
Did the sun hide? And then they walk on the sand, run, and go into the water to swim?

Do you remember that turtles grow and that they sometimes spend time on the beach and almost always in the
sea? Although the sea is the safest for them, there they also run the risk of fish
large ones catch them and eat them.
As you can see, the life of turtles is full of difficulties.
They say that nature is wise. Is that why turtles are born with a shell? When they are
Newborns have a soft shell, but it covers their body and thus protects them a little.

Here is the drawing of the map of Mexico. A map is like a photograph taken from very high up and
very far.
Ask your teacher to point out on this map where the place you live is, more or less.

On the maps, each color means something; where you see a light blue color, there is the sea. And where you see
turtle drawings on the coast are because in those places they make their nests. And to get there,
Many times they swim covering a long distance in the sea.
In Mexico, there are different kinds of sea turtles. You can see them in these drawings. If you live nearby
from the beach, you might know some of these.
The turtles you see drawn here are called golfina, parlama or prieta, laúd, lora, caguama, and carey.
What strange names!
People call them all turtles. It's easier that way, right?
Turtles are harvested for their meat, leather, and oil. With the latter, creams are made.
shells are made into flours, which serve as food for other animals, and also buckles, combs,
earrings, rings and many other adornments.

But... if we don't take care of the turtles, they will disappear. Our grandparents already knew this. That's why they could be heard
Those who do not raise three turtles have no right to eat one.
Many times, in some places there is a lack of food and there is no other option but to eat turtles or eggs.
of turtle. But those people seek a way to care for the nests, which is like saying they take care of their
food.

To prevent the turtles from disappearing, in some places in Mexico, females are protected.
nests and the young. This is done by not allowing people to take the eggs or attack the turtles.
Thus, each turtle will lay many eggs and more will be born.
You may wonder how so many things are known about the life of turtles. It's because
fishermen, it is easy for the people who live near the coast and for the people who study them.
watch them when they go to the beach and build the nest. You can also see how they walk, how
they fall in love. But there are things about turtles that are not known because it is difficult to track them when
they are in the water, out at sea.

Although we already know that very few will be able to escape the dangers and will grow to reproduce, it is
say, to have more turtles.

The ancient Mexicans greatly valued turtles.

They liked to represent them with drawings or on stones, on which they carved their figure. They said that
the turtle was like the owner of life, like the father of water.
[Link]
The sea turtles
The sea turtles
Do you know about turtles?
Which ones have you seen? The ones that walk on the ground or the ones that get into the river or the stream?
All those turtles have legs, as you can see in the drawing.

There are also sea turtles, but instead of legs, they have flippers to swim.
In the following pages we will learn about the sea turtles that live in Mexico.
Would you like to know how they are born, how they grow, and what they feed on?
What else do you want to know about these animals?
We hope you can find it in this book.

Sea turtles are born on the beach; under the sand they break the eggshell, they move their
head and settle in the nest to wait for the sun to set.
So, for the first time in their lives, they walk on the sand and then run towards the sea.
On their way to the sea, the newborn turtles face some dangers: the seagulls, the
vultures, dogs, crabs, and many other animals that roam the coast eat them.
That happens very often, since they have no way to defend themselves and cannot move forward quickly.

Of course, sometimes they get lost among the piles of sand, behind pieces of wood or
among the stones.
Thus, they protect themselves a little, but they don't always escape.
Those who manage to escape dive into the sea and swim swiftly.
What do you think if we continue them?
Here we see one.

With its fins, which help it to walk and swim, it leaves footprints in the sand.
Where will you go?
It moves lightly, as if swaying to the rhythm of a very lively music. It carries its shell on the
it has its tail at the end of its body.

He's already in the water! And it seems like he's chasing fish. He might be picking them out to
after eating them.

In this drawing, it seems that he got tired and is sunbathing while resting in the water, like
turtles usually do it.

Once we were told that there are some sea turtles that eat snails, starfish and
up to seagrasses. And although they don't have teeth, they bite the food with their beak, which is hard.
Small turtles grow and grow until they become big.

Among turtles, as among all animals, there are males and females.
Which of the two big turtles will be male?
Notice which one has the largest tail and a nail on the front fins.
Have you found her yet? That's the male turtle!
When the turtles are already adults, the male climbs on top of the female and they stay like that for a long time.
time, as if they were embracing.
There, the eggs from which the little turtles will hatch begin to form.
In this drawing, which is like a photograph taken inside the belly of the mama turtle, we can
see the eggs.

Sea turtles are almost always in the water.

The turtles that are going to be moms go to the beach at night. Some feel insecure and
they move forward with fear a short distance on the sand. But they take longer to get out of the water than to
return to the sea, which is where they are more confident.

The most determined turtles make their way across the beach sand until they reach the crest, which is like
a little hill. They climb it with a lot of effort, and continue until the sand is flat.

Since water rarely reaches there, these turtles begin to make the nest. First, they move aside the
sand with its fins to make a large pool, then they dig another smaller and deeper hole
inside the pit. The turtles stop digging when their flippers no longer touch the bottom of the hole that
they did.

At that moment they start to lay the eggs.

When they finish laying the eggs, the turtles cover the hole. Then they erase all the tracks.
nest so that no one can discover the eggs.

Thus, tired after so much work, they return to the sea to eat or to rest.

Meanwhile, the sand warms the eggs for many days, the days of many weeks.

During that time, some animals that come around, like dogs, pigs, or the ...
crabs dig through the sand searching for food. When they find a turtle nest, they
They eat all the eggs.

But the main danger to the nests is the egg collectors, people who collect turtle eggs for
sell them later.

Turtles are born from the eggs that were protected by the sand and warmed by the sun.
Do you remember that they break the shell, move their head a little, settle in, and wait for it to
Do they hide the sun? And then they walk on the sand, run, and jump into the water to swim?

Do you remember that turtles grow and that sometimes they spend time on the beach and almost always in the
sea? Although the sea is the safest for them, there they also run the risk of fish
big ones catch them and eat them.
As you can see, the life of turtles is full of difficulties.

They say that nature is wise. Is that why turtles are born with shells? When they are
Newborns have a soft shell, but it covers their body and thus protects them a bit.

Here is the drawing of the map of Mexico. A map is like a photograph taken from very high up and
very far.
Ask your teacher to point out on this map where the place you live is, more or less.

In maps, each color means something; where you see a light blue color is the sea. And where you see
turtle drawings on the coast are because in those places they make their nests. And to get there,
Many times they swim covering a long distance in the sea.
In Mexico, there are different types of sea turtles. You can see them in these drawings. If you live nearby
from the beach, you might know some of these.

The turtles you see drawn here are called golfina, parlama or prieta, laúd, lora, caguama, and carey.
What strange names!
People call them all turtles. It's easier that way, isn't it?
Turtles are exploited for their meat, leather, and oil. The latter is used to make creams.
shells are made into flours, which serve as food for other animals, and also buckles, combs,
earrings, rings, and many other ornaments.

But... if the turtles are not taken care of, they will disappear. Our grandparents already knew this. That's why they were heard
Whoever does not raise three turtles has no right to eat one.
Many times, in some places food is scarce and there is no other option but to eat turtles or eggs.
of turtle. But those people find a way to protect the nests, which is like saying they take care of their
food.

To prevent turtles from disappearing, in some places in Mexico, females are protected.
nests and the offspring. This is done by not allowing people to take the eggs or attack the turtles.
Thus, each turtle will lay many eggs and more will be born.
You may wonder how so much is known about the life of turtles. It's because of the
fishermen, people who live near the coast and those who study them find it easy
watch them when they go to the beach and build the nest. You can also see how they walk, how
They fall in love. But there are things about turtles that are not known because it is difficult to follow them when
they are in the water, out at sea.

Aunque ya sabemos que muy pocas podrán escapar a los peligros y crecerán para reproducirse, es
to have more turtles.

The ancient Mexicans highly valued turtles.

They liked to represent them with drawings or on stones, on which they carved their figure. They said that
the turtle was like the owner of life, like the father of water.

[Link]
Loggerhead Turtle

LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE CARETTA CARETTA

INFORMATION AND CHARACTERISTICS
It is found in most temperate and tropical seas of the world. They inhabit the oceans.
Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Mediterranean Sea. The latter is home to a large number of turtles.
this species.
In the winter month, the caguamas migrate to more tropical and subtropical waters.
They usually frequent coastal areas near coral reefs, brackish water lagoons and
river mouths.
DESCRIPTION OF THE LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE
They have a very strong head and jaw. The shell that covers them is shaped like
heart and it is harder than that of other turtle species. On this, hundreds of parasites inhabit.
and organisms such as barnacles and algae. It is usually brown, reddish, or olive tones.
Although they seem identical to each other, they differ in the number of bone plates.
contents in their shells. Compared to the hawksbill or green turtle, this one has a more
reddish on its rough skin.

The leatherback turtle weighs between 80 to 200 kg in adults and measures 70 to 95 cm in length. Its flippers
they contain two front claws in the case of males and their thick mandibles in both
genders. Of course, measurements and weight vary according to the individual.
FEEDING OF THE LOGGERHEAD TURTLE
It is considered a carnivore but it also feeds on algae and sea plants.
consume horseshoe crabs, even with their strong and hard shell, due to the powerful
jaw of the turtles, this is not a difficult task.

Fish, jellyfish, squids, sponges, shrimp, sea urchins, and fish eggs, too.
they are part of their diet.

REPRODUCTION OF THE LOGGERHEAD TURTLE

Sexual maturity is reached at 15 years when the turtle measures around 60 cm.
loggerhead turtles are solitary, but during the nesting season, the male migrates to areas of
mating.
Once the female accepts, the courtship begins on the surface of the water. If she does not
she likes her partner, she swims down to try to escape, although if the male is persistent she
will try again.
When achieved, it bites the neck or a part of the female's fin. It can also
to claw its two claws to hold on.
Females spawn in tropical or subtropical climates. They deposit between 110 and 130 eggs.
inside a hole 25 to 50 cm deep that will house them for at least 45 days and 80
at most. If the temperature inside the nest is 32°C, the offspring will be females and if it is
28°C or less, they will be males. For the birth of offspring of both sexes, the temperature must be
of 30°C.

At birth, they measure only 39 mm and weigh 40 g.

THREATS TO THE LOGGERHEAD TURTLE

The main predators of turtles are sharks and humans. Adults could
attack with their hard bite or shell, but the eggs and the young have no defense at all, so
that this represents a serious problem for reproduction and future survival.

[Link]