“L” is for Loggerhead turtle. State reptile. The loggerhead turtle (Caretta, caretta) was named the state reptile in 1998. The loggerhead is one of the world’s eight living species of sea turtles. Adults can weigh from 200 to 350 pounds. The animal has a distinctive large head—the source of its name—with powerful jaws. Adults in the western Atlantic range from Newfoundland to Argentina, but they nest in temperate zones. Breeding occurs in the ocean, and females lay their eggs between May and September. South Carolina beaches are favorite nesting grounds. The female comes ashore at night, lays from eighty to two hundred eggs in her nest and returns to the sea. Hatchlings must head directly to the ocean, but it is estimated that only one in ten thousand loggerhead eggs makes it to maturity.
“L” is for Loggerhead turtle
