The loggerhead sea turtle, is a species of oceanic turtle
distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile,
belonging to the family Cheloniidae.
The largest of all hard-shelled turtles, loggerheads are named for their massive heads and strong jaws.
Their reddish-brown shell, or carapace, is heart-shaped.
Their front flippers propel them through the water,
and their hind feet stabilize and steer them.
The Loggerhead is considered a “keystone species,” meaning that other animals in its ecosystem depend on it for
survival. These turtles feed on invertebrates, whose shells pass through their digestive systems and, upon excretion,
fall back to the bottom of the ocean for other animals to eat as a calcium source. Predators also rely on loggerhead
hatchlings for food, while more than a hundred species of animals—including barnacles, crabs, and algae—live on their
shells.