Simon says: "Let's meet the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)"

Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)

This picture was taken of a sea turtle found on Tel Aviv Harbour esplanade (18 April 2013). Notice the head lesion, & white barnacles on its shell. 

🏡 Habitat
Loggerheads roam the warm & temperate waters of the Mediterranean Sea. In Israel, they are found along the entire coastline, from Rosh Hanikra in the north to Ashkelon & Gaza in the south.

Females come ashore to nest on Israel's sandy beaches - May - August, with key nesting sites including Palmachim, Nitzanim, the Sharon coast - & Atlit where these hatchlings were photographed.

🐝 Breeding
Females return to the very beaches where they were born, sometimes 30 years later, to lay their eggs. Each female nests 2–4 times per season, laying 100–120 eggs per nest. After incubating for 50–70 days in the warm sand, hatchlings emerge at night & race to the sea. Only 1 in 1,000 survives to adulthood.

🌸 Food
Powerful jaws crush hard-shelled prey. Adults feed on crabs, mollusks, sea urchins & jellyfish. Their muscular head & large jaw muscles give them the bite force needed for this armored diet.

Once widespread, Israel's loggerheads now face critical threats: coastal development, light pollution (which disorients hatchlings), plastic pollution & fishing nets. The Israel Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center at Mikhmoret has treated hundreds of injured turtles - many struck by boats or entangled in fishing gear. Every rescued turtle returned to the sea is a victory.

How to help: If you see a nesting turtle on an Israeli beach, keep your distance, no lights, no photos, & report it immediately to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (hotline: 3639).

#ImagineIsraelTours #SimonOsterTourGuideIsrael #FloraAndFauna #VisitIsrael #TourGuideIsrael #LoggerheadTurtle #CarettaCaretta #SeaTurtleConservation #MarineLifeIsrael

Want to walk in the tracks of a sea turtle? Let’s imagine Israel together!

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At Imagine Israel Tours we love to notice not just the big moments of history, but also the small details of nature that make Israel unique.

My name is Simon. I've lived in Israel for 20 years & I'm a Tour Guide - originally from the UK - with a brand new, Hyundai Tucson, a luxury 5-seater touring vehicle, fully licensed & insured to carry passengers.

I'm a qualified first-aider & carry a full first aid kit with me at all times.

I have experience driving & guiding all over Israel as an independent tour guide & have been certified as the Amazon Tour Guide for online virtual tours in the North of Israel. I’m an accredited guide for Israel’s National Parks.🌳

- as well as being a coach tour guide for cruise ship passengers coming into Haifa & Ashdod.🚢

(Front-facing toddler car seat, baby car seat, wheelchair &/or 'Rollator' with seat available on request).

My prices include:

*admission fees to many sites

*comprehensive liability insurance

*fuel

*tolls

*car parking

*snacks

*water

*a unique souvenir of your tour with me

Payments accepted via Revolut, credit cards, bank transfer & PayPal.

I can offer tours to suit young & older - from tiny tots, to those who need a more gentle pace, without too much hiking or climbing!