C-30 



SEA TURTLES * Green Turtle - Chelonia mydas 



Loggerhead Turtle - Caretta caretta 

 Leatherback Turtle - Dermochelys coriacea 

 Atlantic Ridley Turtle - Lepidochelys kempii 

 Hawksbill Turtle - Eretmochelys imbricata 



Order : CHELONIA 



Family: CHELONIDAE 



* Discussed more fully in Atlantic Coastal Plain report. 



Estimated Numbers and Distribution : 



All are endangered or threatened. With exception of the Loggerhead 

 Turtle. The occurrence of marine turtles is largely sporadic and unde- 

 terminable along the Atlantic Coast, especially Chesapeake Bay area. 

 The presence of barrier beaches and islands on the Atlantic side of 

 Delmarva Peninsula, and bays of Chesapeake Bay Region, provide possible 

 areas where turtles can rest and feed on journeys along coast. 



Green Turtle - rare but regular wanderer along coast - 20 to 30 

 nest per year (Pritchard, 1972), Rainey, 1972), (Brongersman, 

 1972) . Noted in summer months in Calvert County and Worcester 

 County, Maryland, (Cooper, et al, 1972). 



Loggerhead Turtle - most important remaining nesting localities 

 are between Florida Keys and North Carolina. 



Noted at Worcester, Wicomico, Dorchester and Calvert Counties in 

 Maryland (Cooper, et al, 1972). 



Delaware Fish and Game personnel report few sightings at Delaware 

 River Bay. May have nested historically along Delmarva barrier 

 beaches. 



Leatherback Turtles - only sporadic and rare captures on coast 

 (Pritchard, 1972), (Rainey, 1972), (Brongersman, 1972). Four 

 specimens known from shores of Chesapeake Bay: (3 in Calvert 

 County, one in Dorchester County, Cooper, et al., 1972). 



Atlantic Ridley Turtle - commonly captured as immatures along 

 coast as far as Mass. (Pritchard, 1972), Rainey, 1972) , (Brongers- 

 man, 1972). 



4 Maryland specimens known: one from Baltimore Harbor, 2 from 



