LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE NESTING
When the water temperature is
about 74 degrees the female
Loggerhead comes on the
beach to lay her eggs.
about 74 degrees the female
Loggerhead comes on the
beach to lay her eggs.
She leaves a track in the sand.
The volunteers look for the
tracks and determine if it is a
nest.
The volunteers look for the
tracks and determine if it is a
nest.
After packing the sand down by
making a body pit the female
Loggerhead digs an egg
chamber with her back flippers,
and deposits between 100 &120
ping pong ball sized eggs in the
sand. After carefully covering
her eggs she returns to the
ocean.
making a body pit the female
Loggerhead digs an egg
chamber with her back flippers,
and deposits between 100 &120
ping pong ball sized eggs in the
sand. After carefully covering
her eggs she returns to the
ocean.
Between 50 & 60 days later the
eggs hatch. When the hatchling
first emerges from the egg
under the sand there is a yolk
sac attached to its belly.
eggs hatch. When the hatchling
first emerges from the egg
under the sand there is a yolk
sac attached to its belly.
After 3-5 days, when the yolk
sac is absorbed the hatchlings
emerge from the nest. We know
the hatchlings have emerged
when we see their tracks.
sac is absorbed the hatchlings
emerge from the nest. We know
the hatchlings have emerged
when we see their tracks.
Hatchlings instinctively go to
the brightest horizon. On a
beach with no man made light
sources the brightest horizon is
the water. Artificial light sources
cause the hatchlings to
disorient.
the brightest horizon. On a
beach with no man made light
sources the brightest horizon is
the water. Artificial light sources
cause the hatchlings to
disorient.
Disorientation
Hatchlings leave the sand and
swim to the Sargasso Sea
where they eat and grow for a
year or more
swim to the Sargasso Sea
where they eat and grow for a
year or more
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