Divers swim with extremely rare loggerhead sea turtle

Loggerhead sea turtles are an endangered species that only a lucky few scuba divers have encountered face to face. Weighing up to 1000lbs, they are second in size only to the leatherback turtle. They can hold their breath for several hours, depending on their level of activity.

A group of scuba divers encountered this 400lb male loggerhead as he cruised over the reef looking for conch shells, one of the staples of their diet. He was very relaxed about their presence and mildly curious. He allowed them to swim with him for over fifteen minutes before they eventually ran low on air and had to make their way to the surface.

This monstrous turtle is large enough that the only threats he faces are large sharks and humans. Poaching and slaughter for eggs are the most common causes of death, followed closely by garbage ingestion and accidental capture in fishing equipment.

These divers were able to follow this loggerhead and capture photographs and videos. A dive like this is one that no scuba diver could ever forget!