How would you like to have 126 children?

By Morgan Dawson


How would you like to live to be more than a hundred years old? Or have 126 children? I don't know any person who has experienced this, but if we examine the life of the Loggerhead turtle, they might be able to answer these questions. Loggerhead turtles can live up to hundreds of years old and sometimes even thousands! The mothers can lay up to 126 eggs, but only a few of them make it to adulthood because of predators like larger fish, raccoons, and seabirds find the eggs. The Loggerhead turtle buries their eggs from 12 inches to 16 inches deep. The eggs resemble ping pong balls.

As the turtles begin to hatch, they climb their way to just below the surface. There they wait until cooler temperatures signal nightfall so they can make their way to the surface. Then, they head toward the brightest light which is usually the moon reflecting off the sea. Unfortunately, many become disoriented because of lights from houses and stores and head toward them, rather than the sea.

Baby sea turtles swim around the ocean for their entire lifetime until they are fully grown. When the females mate they come back to that exact same beach and lay their eggs.