The Loggerhead Turtle Is Named for Its Huge Head

Some animal names are puzzles. The loggerhead’s is not. NOAA Fisheries states that the loggerhead turtle is named for its large head, which supports powerful jaw muscles that let it feed on hard-shelled prey such as whelks and conch. In the United States it is the sea turtle people are most likely to meet. NOAA Fisheries calls loggerheads the most abundant species of sea turtle found in U.S. coastal waters, and the most abundant that nests in the United States. Many adults that nest on U.S. beaches migrate from neighboring nations such as the Bahamas, Cuba and Mexico. Florida matters to them worldwide. According to NOAA Fisheries, only two loggerhead nesting groups have more than 10,000 females nesting each year: Peninsular Florida and Oman. The loggerhead’s lifespan is unknown, but it is estimated at 70 years or more.