Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Caretta caretta
Photo: ukanda / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
The loggerhead is a large sea turtle with a reddish-brown carapace that roams the Pacific and comes ashore on Japanese beaches in early summer to lay eggs. Females are said to return to the beaches where they were born. Nesting sites such as Omaezaki in Shizuoka, sites in Wakayama, Gamoda in Tokushima and Miyazaki are Natural Monuments.
- Scientific name
- Caretta caretta
- Group
- Reptiles
- Prefectures
- Shizuoka, Wakayama, Tokushima, Miyazaki
- Japanese Red List (Ministry of the Environment)
- EndangeredMinistry of the Environment 5th Red List (2026)
- When to see
- April to September
- 日本語
- アカウミガメ
- 简体中文
- 蠵龟
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Where to see the Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Facilities whose official websites show this animal on display. Exhibits can change, so check each facility's latest information before you go.
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At Nagata-hama on Yakushima, Kagoshima, turtles come ashore to lay eggs from late April to early August, and hatchlings head to the sea from early July to late September. Night viewing follows local rules.
Exhibit sourceMap
Markers show designated habitats and breeding sites.
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Frequently asked questions
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is designated as a species without a fixed area and lives in places such as Shizuoka, Wakayama, Tokushima, Miyazaki.
You can see the Loggerhead Sea Turtle at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, among others (confirmed on each facility's official website on 2026-10-15).
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is mainly seen in April to September. At Nagata-hama on Yakushima, Kagoshima, turtles come ashore to lay eggs from late April to early August, and hatchlings head to the sea from early July to late September. Night viewing follows local rules.
The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is listed as "Endangered" in the Ministry of the Environment 5th Red List (2026) (listed as アカウミガメ).
Animals related to the Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Animals in the same group or designated in the same area.
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