Loggerhead Sea Turtleアカウミガメ

Caretta carettaVU— Vulnerable

The loggerhead sea turtle is named for its unusually large head and powerful jaws, which it uses to crush hard-shelled prey like conchs and whelks. Found across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, it undertakes vast transoceanic migrations—hatchlings from Japanese beaches travel all the way to foraging grounds off Mexico. Classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN, it faces threats from bycatch, coastal development, and nesting beach loss.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle (reference photo)
Photo: ukanda / CC BY 2.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification
Testudines / Cheloniidae Source
Size
Carapace length of nesting females 65.4–105.3 cm; adults are generally around 90 cm
Weight
About 70–180 kg (record 545 kg)
Lifespan
Thought to be 47–67 years in the wild, with sexual maturity taking 17–33 years; one captive individual hatched in 1950 is still alive at 76
Diet
Omnivore Omnivorous with a strong animal bias, eating a wide range of mollusks, crustaceans, squid, fish, and seaweed; its powerful jaws crush hard shells whole
Activity
Mainly diurnal; spends up to 85% of the day submerged, with each dive lasting about 15–30 minutes
Distribution
Distributed throughout the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans as well as the Mediterranean Sea; in Japan, nesting beaches stretch from Kujukuri in Chiba Prefecture to Yakushima. Source
Sources
ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Did You Know?

  • The English name "loggerhead" refers to its unusually large head, reflecting the powerful jaws it uses to crush hard-shelled prey. Source
  • Hatchlings from Japanese nesting beaches are known to migrate across the entire Pacific Ocean to foraging grounds off Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. Source
  • Females lay 70 to 150 eggs per clutch and can produce one to five clutches within a single nesting season. Source

Where to See This Species

Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 10

How to tell Sea Turtles apart →

Port of Nagoya Public AquariumAichi5 minutes on foot from Exit 3 of Nagoyako Station on the Subway Meiko Line (transfer to the Meiko Line at Sakae Station on the Higashiyama Line, or at Kanayama Station on the Meitetsu and JR lines).

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Kamogawa Sea WorldChibaAbout 2 hours from Tokyo Station on the Wakashio limited express to JR Awa-Kamogawa Station, then about 10 minutes by free shuttle bus (departing from the West Exit bus stop).

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Murotohaikou SuizokukanKochiOpened in 2018

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Echizen Matsushima AquariumFukuiOpened in 1959

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Okinawa Churaumi AquariumOkinawaOpened in 2002

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Shimoda AquariumShizuokaOpened in 1967

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Osaka Aquarium KaiyukanOsakaOpened in 1990

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Kiryuugaoka DoubutsuenGunmaIf driving, set your car navigation to "Kiryugaoka Amusement Park" (Kiryugaoka Yuenchi) rather than "Kiryugaoka Zoo" to reach the parking lot (searching by the zoo name may give an incorrect route).

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Himeji Shiritsu DoubutsuenHyogoOpened in 1951

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Hiwasa Sea Turtle Museum "Caretta"TokushimaOpened in 1985

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Latest news

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Conservation Story

Conservation Status

Vulnerable (VU)

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org www.iucnredlist.org

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FAQ

Why is it called the loggerhead sea turtle?
Its English name refers to its unusually large, block-shaped head, which houses powerful jaw muscles used to crush hard-shelled prey such as conchs and whelks. Source
How far do loggerhead sea turtles migrate?
Hatchlings from Japanese nesting beaches make one of the longest known sea turtle migrations, crossing the entire Pacific Ocean to feeding grounds off Mexico's Baja California Peninsula before eventually returning to breed. Source
How long do loggerhead sea turtles live?
In the wild they are estimated to live 47 to 67 years and take 17 to 33 years to reach sexual maturity; a captive individual hatched in 1950 was still alive at around 76 years old. Source
How many operating facilities are registered here?
Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 10 Source

Books & gear

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org