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The World of Loggerhead Turtles

While Hilton Head is a unique and precious environment for Loggerhead turtles, they also live and nest in locations all around the world.  Loggerhead Turtles as a species (Caretta caretta), are listed as “Threatened” status in the USA, globally they are listed as “Vulnerable.” While a nest may have 100 or more eggs, the survival rate is about one percent, or one turtle from each nest.

Locally, the Hilton Head Turtle Patrol has done an amazing job of creating awareness through education, improving community support and ordinances, and protecting the fragile nesting environment for loggerheads.  There are efforts across the globe to protect and preserve the nesting, survival and revival of the loggerhead turtle population.

Here are some interesting facts and details about the loggerhead turtle’s distribution and populations.

Loggerhead turtles have a wide distribution, nesting in subtropical and temperate regions around the world. Their nesting sites are typically sandy beaches, and females return to the region where they were born to lay their eggs. Below is an overview of the major nesting regions for loggerhead turtles:

Primary Nesting Regions

North America (United States)

Southeastern U.S. (Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico):

  • Florida is the most significant loggerhead nesting site in the Western Hemisphere, hosting about 90% of U.S. nests. Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge hosts approximately 25% of the US nesting area. Conservation efforts here began in the 1980’s with strict ordinances on lighting, nest monitoring and habitat management
  • Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina also support important nesting populations.
  • Gulf Coast states (e.g., Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas) have smaller nesting populations.

Mediterranean Sea

  • Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus are the main nesting countries. The National Marine Park in Zakynthos, Greece established the first sea turtle protection area in the Mediterranean Sea in 1999 and boasts one of the highest density nesting beaches in the world. Protection efforts include community engagement, long-term monitoring and local volunteers.
  • Smaller nesting areas exist in Italy, Libya, Tunisia, and Israel.
  • The Mediterranean nesting population is genetically distinct and considered

Southwestern Indian Ocean

  • Masirah Island, Oman has one of the largest loggerhead nesting aggregations in the world.
  • Other notable sites include beaches in Mozambique, South Africa, and Madagascar.

Australia

  • Queensland (eastern coast) is the primary nesting area, especially Mon Repos Beach. The Gnaraloo Coast began work in 2010 to eradicate predator threat of feral foxes, cats and wild dogs. This beach now has 100% nest protection from land based predators in monitored areas
  • Western Australia also has some nesting beache.

Japan

  • Southern Japanese islands such as Kyushu, Shikoku, and the Ryukyu Islands host significant nesting sites.
  • These turtles migrate long distances across the Pacific.

South America

  • Brazil has several nesting beaches along the Bahia and Espírito Santo coasts, although in smaller numbers than other global regions.

Other Notable Nesting Areas

  • Cape Verde Islands (Eastern Atlantic Ocean): Important nesting site for the eastern Atlantic population.
  • Yucatán Peninsula (Mexico): Secondary nesting area.
  • Caribbean Islands: Low to moderate nesting on islands like the Bahamas and Cuba.
  • South Africa and Mozambique: Host small but important nesting colonies.

Loggerhead Turtle Population Trends By Region

Northwest Atlantic (SE U.S. & Caribbean)

  • Florida (flagship region): On 27 index beaches, nearly 58,000 nests were recorded in 2024 (down from a peak of ~70,945 in 2023). Statewide, Florida accounts for about 90% of U.S. loggerhead nests, with over 67,000 nests per year, making it the largest rookery globally.
  • Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, FL: This 20‑mile beach hosts ~25% of U.S. nests, with densities up to 1,000 nests/mile.
  • Other U.S. subpopulations: Georgia, South Carolina, Florida Panhandle, Dry Tortugas, Yucatán Peninsula contribute additional thousands of nests; the Northwest Atlantic population makes up 35–40% of global nesting.

Mediterranean Sea

  • Greece: Hosts ~60% of Mediterranean nests, amounting to 5,000–7,000 annually historically, with a sharp rise to 10,000+ nests since 2023.
  • Zakynthos (Laganas Bay): ~900–2,000 nests per year, accounting for ~80% of Mediterranean nesting.
  • Koroni Beach: Average ~56 nests/year (range 29–134 during 1995–2021), showing recovery trends.
  • Turkey (İztuzu Beach): Approximately 300 nests per year, in a protected zone.

Northeast Atlantic (Cape Verde)

  • Cape Verde archipelago: The only significant eastern Atlantic rookery; overall Northeast Atlantic population is classified as endangered.

Indian Ocean

  • Oman (Masirah Island): ~15,000 nests per year, representing the second-largest global aggregation.
  • Southwest Indian (South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar): Trends are ‘near threatened’, with long-term increases but small nesting ranges.
  • Northeast Indian (Sri Lanka): Fewer than 25 nests/year, classifying it as critically endangered

Pacific Ocean

  • Japan (e.g., Yakushima): North Pacific group is Least Concern, with increasing long-term nesting.
  • Australia (Eastern & Western coasts): Eastern (South Pacific) classified critically endangered with >80% decline since 1970s; Western Australia (Southeast Indian) is near threatened with ~1,000–2,000 nests/year.

Southwest Atlantic (Brazil)

  • Brazil hosts a slowly increasing population, now considered Least Concern, supporting southwest Atlantic subpopulation.

The approximate global population of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) is difficult to estimate precisely due to their wide distribution and migratory behavior. However, the best estimates, based on nesting females and extrapolated population models, are:

Estimated Global Population

  • Adult females: ~200,000–250,000 nesting females worldwide
  • Total global population (all age classes): Likely in the range of 1 to 2 million individuals, including juveniles, subadults, and males

Population Estimates by Major Region (Nesting Females)

Region Approx. Nesting Females Population Trend
Northwest Atlantic (USA) ~100,000 Increasing/stable
Mediterranean ~10,000 Increasing (notably in Greece)
Oman (Masirah Island) ~30,000 Stable to slightly declining
Japan (North Pacific) ~5,000 to10,000 Increasing
Australia (East & West) ~1,000 to 2,000 Eastern population declining
Cape Verde (NE Atlantic) ~1,000 to 3,000 Stable to increasing
Brazil (SW Atlantic) ~2,000 Increasing

We are very fortunate to have a long-standing population of loggerhead turtles that call Hilton Head home.  And the turtles are fortunate to have our dedicated team at Sea Turtle Patrol working to ensure Hilton Head maintains a safe and welcoming beach for nesting.

For more information on local programs and efforts, visit seaturtlepatrolhhi.org.