A 75-pound sea turtle was found yesterday morning, March 18, 2023, on the south end of Manzanita beach. After receiving photographs of the turtle, it was clear that the turtle had been dead for quite some time before washing ashore. The turtle was recovered by the Seaside Aquarium and was later identified as a loggerhead sea turtle. This ocean-going turtle had a whole ecosystem traveling with it. When cleaning its shell so a positive identification could be made, live gooseneck barnacles, skeleton shrimp, and even nudibranchs were found! While the Oregon Coast is no stranger to sea turtles, the species usually encountered are Olive Ridleys. Loggerheads are quite rare for this area.
These endangered turtles can be found worldwide and have nine distinct populations. In the Pacific there are two different populations which both nest exclusively in the Japanese Archipelago. Juveniles forage, develop, and mature in the East, West, and Central Pacific. Some of the most productive foraging grounds can be found off the coast of Baja California. One of the biggest threats to loggerhead sea turtles is marine debris. According to NOAA, “Foraging loggerheads respond similarly to the odors of prey items and biofouled plastic, the scent of which stimulates foraging behavior and contributes to turtles’ detrimental (and often fatal) interactions with marine debris”.
A necropsy will be scheduled to attempt to determine the cause of death.
Photos by Tiffany Boothe, Seaside Aquarium