The Loggerhead Turtle has a heart-shaped carapace, with five pairs of costal plates that are dark brown in colour, and with reddish and darker brown patches. Mature females have a curved carapace averaging 96 cm in length. Hatchlings are dark brown and measure 4.4 cm in straight carapace length and weigh approximately 19 g.
Loggerhead Turtle |
Caretta caretta
Status: Endangered on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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IUCN Red List Assessment, Caretta caretta
Threat categories affecting marine turtles; including Loggerheads; were described by Wallace et al. (2011) as Fisheries bycatch incidental capture of marine turtles in fishing gear targeting other species Take direct utilization of turtles or eggs for human use (i.e.; consumption; commercial products) Coastal Development affecting critical turtle habitat human induced alteration of coastal environments due to construction; dredging; beach modification; etc Pollution and Pathogens marine pollution and debris that affect marine turtles (i.e.; through ingestion or entanglement; disorientation caused by artificial lights); as well as impacts of pervasive pathogens (for example fibropapilloma virus) on turtle health Climate change current and future impacts from climate change on marine turtles and their habitats (increasing sand temperatures on nesting beaches affecting hatchling sex ratios; sea level rise; storm frequency and intensity affecting nesting habitats; etc.).
Due to lack of information; pollution and pathogens was only scored as affecting three subpopulations and climate change was only scored for two subpopulations.