Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)

In South Carolina, the primary nesting beaches are between North Inlet and Prices’ Inlet, but other beaches in the southern part of the state also have moderate nesting densities. These are mainly undeveloped nesting beaches between Kiawah Island and Hilton Head. The nesting season runs from mid May to mid August. The average clutch size in South Carolina is 126 eggs. The average incubation duration is 58 days.

The loggerhead is the most common sea turtle to strand in South Carolina and the nesting population has declined three percent per year since records began in 1980. On July 28, 1978, the loggerhead sea turtle was designated as threatened.

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) Small juveniles of this species {18 to 65 cm (11 to 26 in)} occur along the South Carolina coast during the summer. This species represents the second most common turtle to strand on our coast. They feed on fast swimming crabs (i.e. the blue crab) and are sometimes caught by hook and line fishermen. Recent increases in Kemp’s ridley turtle strandings could also be due to an increasing population. On December 02, 1970, the Kemp's ridley sea turtle was designated as endangered.

Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

Leatherbacks feed entirely on jellyfish and they must travel long distances to find large concentrations of this food source drifting in the ocean currents. Nesting beaches for the leatherback in the western Atlantic are Surinam and French Guinea in South America and many islands in the Caribbean as well as south Florida. Leatherbacks migrate in the spring following cannonball jellyfish.

Leatherbacks are in large concentrations off the coast of South Carolina during April, May, and early June. On June 02, 1970, the leatherback sea turtle was designated as endangered.

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)The green sea turtle is the second largest sea turtle. They get their name from the color of their fat, not their shells, which are grayish in older animals. Green turtles are herbivorous and remain near pastures of turtle grasses. Tortuguero, Costa Rica, and south/central Florida are important nesting areas for the green turtle in the western Atlantic. Juveniles are found in South Carolina (ranging in size from 28 to 38 cm (11 to 15 in) in curved carapace length) in shallow creeks, bays, and salt marshes feeding on epiphytic green algae such as sea lettuce. Recent increases in green turtle strandings could be due to an increase in the Florida population. On July 28, 1978, the green sea turtle was designated as endangered for the breeding colony populations in Florida and on the Pacific coast of Mexico. On July 28, 1978, the green sea turtle was designated as threatened in areas found except where listed as endangered.