What types of sea turtles live in the waters around Gibraltar?

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The loggerhead turtle is the species most often seen in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, particularly in summer during migration. The much larger leatherback turtle also occurs but is seen far less often. Both are strictly protected.
Loggerhead turtles are relatively common in Gibraltar’s waters, especially in summer, when they are regularly seen foraging or migrating between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. The Department of the Environment’s Environmental Protection and Research Unit has recorded more than 20 loggerheads in a single year. Some of these turtles travel as far as the Caribbean and North America.
The leatherback, the largest of all turtles, also swims in the Bay and the Strait, but sightings are uncommon.
Turtles here face risks from boat strikes, fishing lines and nets, and plastic pollution, and dead turtles are sometimes washed up on the eastern beaches. Loggerhead turtles are strictly protected in Gibraltar, and the public is asked not to touch or disturb them.
If you see a turtle that is injured, stranded or being disturbed, contact the Environmental Protection and Research Unit on 58009620. Sightings can also be logged on the Nautilus Project’s NEMO citizen science app.

What types of sea turtles live in the waters around Gibraltar?

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