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Marine Turtle Newsletter 54:14-16, © 1991

Stranded Juvenile Loggerheads in the United Kingdom

Jenny Mallinson
Department of Oceanography, Southampton University, S09 5NH, United Kingdom

An unusually high number of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) appeared on the coasts of the British Isles in the early part of 1990 (Penhallurick 1991). Sightings of dead animals were difficult to verify, but 11 live loggerhead turtles were found at beaches on the south and west coasts of Ireland and England between January and March (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Map showing sites where loggerhead sea turtles stranded in the United Kingdom during 1990. Strandings identified by turtle code as in Table 1.

Strandings appeared to be related to unusually fierce storms on 25 January and 26 February, with winds in excess of 100 miles per hour causing structural damage across the country. All but one of the turtles were juveniles and similar in size (18-30 cm straight carapace length) (Table 1). The relatively large Galway Bay individual had been badly injured and died soon after rescue. The water temperature on the southern British coast during this time was approximately 8°C. Stranded turtles were emaciated and torpid. Seven were rehabilitated in aquaria and later released. Two were flown to Madeira in February 1990 and five to the Azores in May 1990.

Table 1. Loggerhead sea turtles stranded in the United Kingdom during 1990. Length in cm and weight in grams. Data should be considered approximate, as no independent confirmation was available.

Penhallurick, R. D. 1991. Observations of leatherback turtles off the Cornish Coast. Marine Turtle Newsletter 52:12-14.