Alternative Text Description for Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Threatened) Distribution Map

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the geographic distribution boundaries of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, a threatened species, along the southeastern United States coastline. The map shows the polygonal boundaries as understood by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the State of Florida. This thematic layer illustrates where the species' habitat or range is recognized for conservation and management purposes.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the southeastern United States, primarily focusing on Florida and portions of Georgia and South Carolina. Major cities labeled include Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Cape Coral, West Palm Beach, Coral Springs, Fort St. Lucie, Palm Bay, and Palm Coast in Florida, as well as Savannah and Charleston along the Georgia and South Carolina coasts. The map extends from approximately Athens, Georgia in the northwest to the southern tip of Florida, and from the Atlantic coast to portions of the Gulf of America coastline. The Atlantic Ocean is visible to the east, and the Gulf of America is visible to the west of the Florida peninsula.

KEY INSIGHTS

The Loggerhead Sea Turtle distribution follows a distinct linear pattern along Florida's coastline, extending continuously from the northern Georgia/Florida border southward along the Atlantic coast, around the southern tip of Florida, and northward along the Gulf of America coast to approximately the Tampa Bay region. This coastal distribution pattern reflects the species' dependence on marine and coastal environments. The habitat boundaries remain relatively narrow and closely follow the shoreline, indicating the species' strong association with coastal waters and nearshore habitats. There is minimal inland extension of the distribution area, emphasizing the strictly coastal and marine nature of the species' range.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Loggerhead Sea Turtle Distribution

This layer represents the officially recognized habitat boundaries for the threatened Loggerhead Sea Turtle species in Florida waters.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Threatened) Habitat Area

Appearance:

Light pink or rose-colored polygonal areas with a subtle diagonal hatch pattern, creating a semi-transparent overlay on the base map.

Distribution:

The distribution area appears as a continuous coastal band extending along Florida's Atlantic coastline from the Georgia border southward, continuing around the Florida Keys area, and extending northward along the Gulf of America coast to the Tampa Bay region. The distribution closely follows the shoreline with relatively narrow coastal boundaries.

Notable locations:

Significant coverage areas include the entire Atlantic coast of Florida from Jacksonville to the southern tip, the coastal waters around Cape Coral and the southwestern Florida coast, and extending northward past Tampa and St. Petersburg. The distribution notably encompasses the coastal areas near major population centers including Jacksonville, Palm Coast, West Palm Beach, Fort St. Lucie, and the Tampa Bay metropolitan area.

Spatial patterns:

The habitat displays a linear, shoreline-following pattern with consistent narrow width along most of the coast. The distribution appears most continuous and uninterrupted along the Atlantic coast, with some broadening around coastal features and embayments. The pattern suggests the species utilizes nearshore waters and coastal habitats throughout Florida's extensive coastline, with particular concentration in areas that likely provide nesting beaches and foraging habitat.

Overlapping Patterns

No overlapping patterns with other thematic layers are visible in this map, as it displays a single species distribution layer.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents the official species boundary polygons as understood by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service specifically for the State of Florida. The dataset has been filtered to show only the Loggerhead Sea Turtle distribution from a larger multispecies dataset. The distribution shown reflects habitat areas, range boundaries, or designated areas relevant to the conservation status of this threatened species. Users should understand that these boundaries represent management and conservation planning areas rather than real-time observations of individual turtles. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is listed as threatened under federal endangered species protections.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

The data comes from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and contains polygonal boundaries for species as understood by the agency for the State of Florida. The source layer is CR_USFWS_POLY_JUL25.

Definition Query:

The map displays a filtered subset of the source data showing only records where COMNAME = 'LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE'. This definition query extracts only the Loggerhead Sea Turtle distribution from a broader dataset containing multiple species boundaries.

Scale Information:

The map shows a regional scale covering the entire Florida peninsula and portions of adjacent states. This scale is appropriate for understanding the overall distribution pattern and geographic range of the species along Florida's coastline.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Time Period of Content:

The source layer name includes "JUL25," suggesting the data is from or was last updated in July 2025.

Limitations:

The boundaries represent official agency understanding of species distribution and may not reflect the full extent of occasional sightings or all habitat utilization. The data is specific to Florida and may not show the complete range of the species beyond state boundaries. These polygonal boundaries serve conservation planning purposes and should not be interpreted as precise habitat mapping at fine spatial scales.

Map Coverage:

The map extent covers the southeastern United States from approximately northern Georgia to the southern tip of Florida and the Florida Keys, extending westward to show the Gulf of America coastline of Florida. Portions of Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama are visible for geographic context.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.