BWB – Race against time

The Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) is a solo traveler in the vastness of the ocean. They travel through the sea in search of food. But to lay their eggs, at least the females come back to exactly the same beach after about 18 years, where they themselves hatched from an approximately 4cm large egg. On this beach many years ago they had to prove themselves for the first time in their lives. As soon as Loggerhead sea turtles hatch, a race against time begins that can cost them their lives. Seabirds and crabs target the small turtles. If the hatchlings don’t make it to their blue habitat in time, it’s all over for them. Once they reach the sea, they embark on a long journey that will take years until they return to the same beach. They once started their cycle measuring 4.5 cm and weighing 20 grams, but when they return, when fully grown, their carapace diameter is 1.20 meters and weighing up to 140 kg.

by Fatima Kutzschbach