LOGGERHEAD TURTLE
One of the Greek islands most popular residents. This turtle spends virtually all its time at sea, only coming on land to lay eggs. Its shell can be up to 1200mm in length but is usually closer to 1000mm. The shell, or carapace is a reddish brown. The under shell or plastron is yellow. The head of a loggerhead is quite large, giving it, its name. The only way to determine sex, is that the males have thicker tails and shorter plastrons.
Sea turtles are the living representatives of a group of reptiles that has existed for over 100 million years. Loggerheads feed mainly on bottom dwelling plants and invertebrates. A dive can last for half an hour on average. Females come ashore between May and September, to lay up to 200 eggs in a 600mm deep burrow. Females often make reconnaissance visits and do not lay eggs every time they come ashore.
Many of their nesting beaches are under threat from tourism development, and from the tourists themselves as they push their beach umbrellas deep into the sand. So please take care when setting up on the beach and take note of the areas marked off for the turtles.
The best place to see the turtles is actually the islands capitol Argostoli, where the local fishermen feed the turtles their scraps. Just walk along the edge of the lagoon, if you do not spot them swimming about, then keep walking until you see the fishermen and the crowds.
