An endangered loggerhead sea turtle was found dead on an Oregon beach, according to the Seaside Aquarium.
In a Facebook post, the Aquarium said the 75-pound turtle was found at the south end of Manzanita on Saturday morning.
The turtle was recovered by staff, who determined the animal had been dead “for quite some time” before washing up on the sand.
Seaside Aquarium also noted that despite the tragic death of the turtle, life could still be found, as the turtle had “a whole ecosystem” thriving in his remains. Its shell was found to be home to live gooseneck barnacles, skeleton shrimp, and nudibranchs.
Loggerheads are quite rare in the area, said the Aquarium, and a necropsy will be scheduled to determine the cause of death.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website notes that the loggerhead turtle, which was named for its large head, is found worldwide and is listed under the Endangered Species Act.
“Loggerhead populations in the United States declined due to bycatch in fishing gear such as trawls, gillnets, and longlines,” according to the NOAA. “The use of turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in shrimp trawls, gillnet bans, and other gear modification have reduced sea turtle bycatch in some fisheries, but bycatch in fishing gear remains the biggest threat facing loggerheads. NOAA Fisheries and our partners are dedicated to protecting and recovering sea turtle populations worldwide. We use a variety of innovative techniques to study, protect, and recover these threatened and endangered species. We engage our partners as we develop measures and recovery plans that foster the conservation and recovery of loggerhead turtles and their habitats.”
