Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta).
Image: ukanda, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- VU · Vulnerable
- Animal group
- Reptiles & Amphibians
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2017 global assessment of Caretta caretta says VulnerableChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The loggerhead is a large sea turtle with a powerful head and jaws for crushing hard-shelled prey. It is assessed as Vulnerable.
It undertakes long ocean migrations between feeding and nesting areas.
Range & habitat
Temperate and tropical oceans worldwide, nesting on many continents' coasts.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Bycatch in fishing gear
- Loss of nesting beaches
- Pollution and climate effects
Why it matters
A wide-ranging ocean traveller, the loggerhead links the health of beaches and open seas across whole ocean basins.
Gallery
Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), Brazil.
Image: João D'Andretta, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Loggerhead Turtle
- IUCN Red List — look up Loggerhead Turtle (authoritative status)
- NOAA Fisheries
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the loggerhead have such a big head?
Its large head houses powerful jaws used to crush hard-shelled prey such as crabs, conchs, and other invertebrates.
Why is the loggerhead turtle Vulnerable?
Published assessments cite bycatch in fishing gear, loss and disturbance of nesting beaches, pollution, and climate effects on nests. See the IUCN Red List.