Loggerhead turtle

In the North Pacific, Japan is the main nesting grounds of the loggerhead turtle. Nesting is centered on Yakushima Island and ranges from Okinawa to Honshu. Its head is the largest of any sea turtle. The carapace is reddish brown and heart-shaped. Loggerheads have been bred in this facility since 1995. Females born in 1995 lay their eggs in 2017 and continue to successfully produce a 3rd generation. An individual released from this facility in Okinawa during the 1980s was discovered on the west coast of the United Sates after crossing the Pacific Ocean.