Loggerhead Sea Turtles are one of the magnificent species that reside on the coast of North Carolina. They are very important to the ecosystem because their eggs provide nutrients to the beaches and dunes, areas that are in a need for nutrition to supply to their vegetation. They also keep the ecosystem balance with their diet, which consists primarily of jellyfish, crab, shellfish, mussels, clams and sometimes fish, seaweed and sargassum.
Loggerhead Sea Turtles have been badly hurt by the pollution and the development in coastal areas, which leaves them no place for nesting. Another major threat to their existence is the presence of shrimp trawls and fishing nets. They have also been hunted in the past for their meat, eggs, fat and shells; even though they are now internationally protected, the hunting still caused a decline in their numbers.