Hi! My name is Salty.
John Easley, Deep Sea Images 2003
The beauty loggerhead above this post is waving hello to thank you for stopping by to visit. Enjoy~
One of the many places loggerheads nest is the Gulf Coast of Florida. Years ago I spent a year on the Gulf Coast in Englewood, Florida. The apartmant was right on the beach and enabled me to participate in a volunteer program monitoring loggerhead hatchlings. These ancient little beings deeply touched my heart.
Appropriately loggerheads are on the endangered species lists. Adults may weigh from 200 to 350 pounds and reach maturity at 25 to 35 years. Some of our big turtles live in turbid muddy water bayous or bays off the Gulf Coast. Others choose the tropicial waters of the Bahamas. I wonder if it has anything to do with where they are hatched.
Four states in the United States are known to have loggerheads nesting: Florida, North and South Carolina and Georgia. Loggerhead females nest at night and the clutch may be 100 to 126 eggs. In the southeast United States nesting is generally from April to September. Incubation time in Florida is 53 to 55 days. Nest temperature varies and determines the sex of the hatchlings. Females may travel several thousand miles to nest and return to the same site each time. Amazing!
Courtship and mating habits of the big turtle are not known. Bravo for the loggerheads, animals need privacy too. It is believed the adults travel the currents and hatchlings attach to rafts of sargassum seawood and floating debris. Some sources report only one out of a thousand hatchlings survive to adulthood. A source of mostly shellfish, crabs, sea urchins and jellyfish keep the loggerhead growing.
Consider this your science lesson for the day. It is what captured my attention part of the day. Hope you don't mind.
One of the many places loggerheads nest is the Gulf Coast of Florida. Years ago I spent a year on the Gulf Coast in Englewood, Florida. The apartmant was right on the beach and enabled me to participate in a volunteer program monitoring loggerhead hatchlings. These ancient little beings deeply touched my heart.
Appropriately loggerheads are on the endangered species lists. Adults may weigh from 200 to 350 pounds and reach maturity at 25 to 35 years. Some of our big turtles live in turbid muddy water bayous or bays off the Gulf Coast. Others choose the tropicial waters of the Bahamas. I wonder if it has anything to do with where they are hatched.
Four states in the United States are known to have loggerheads nesting: Florida, North and South Carolina and Georgia. Loggerhead females nest at night and the clutch may be 100 to 126 eggs. In the southeast United States nesting is generally from April to September. Incubation time in Florida is 53 to 55 days. Nest temperature varies and determines the sex of the hatchlings. Females may travel several thousand miles to nest and return to the same site each time. Amazing!
Courtship and mating habits of the big turtle are not known. Bravo for the loggerheads, animals need privacy too. It is believed the adults travel the currents and hatchlings attach to rafts of sargassum seawood and floating debris. Some sources report only one out of a thousand hatchlings survive to adulthood. A source of mostly shellfish, crabs, sea urchins and jellyfish keep the loggerhead growing.
Consider this your science lesson for the day. It is what captured my attention part of the day. Hope you don't mind.
National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration
Sandra Edwards,"Turtles of Palm Beach"
Photo essay August '95 issue of the South Florida Dive Journal.
Margaret Buschler - Photo
The Vancouver Aquarium helped rear endangered loggerhead sea turtles
Hatchling in Shallow Water
Photo: Mary Wonzy
Broward County Florida Sea Turtle Conservation Program
2 comments:
There is nothing that says...love mother earth more than the turtle.
We have many around our cottage and I cherish all of them.
Beautiful posting magnolia
Ama, thanks for stopping by and becomming a follower. I too, love, love, love mother earth. The turtles are always leaving tracks through my heart.
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