Loggerhead sea turtles are listed as endangered species in the US and many other parts of the world. They live near the top of the food chain, with humans serving as their greatest threat, whether intentional or unintentional. In the southeastern US, many turtles are injured by boat strikes, which are often fatal.

The Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources is often asked to comment on the potential impacts of development on ecosystems or populations. The available information on which to base an opinion is sometimes lacking; in the case of turtles, little data exist to define what can be done to reduce the risks of fatal turtle strikes. Through this project, we are a) investigating the physical properties of natural turtle carapaces (both as a material and as a system), b) creating artificial carapaces, mimicking the properties of the natural material, and c) testing the artificial shells in the field to characterize what happens in a boat strike and whether alternative means of propulsion (jet drive, prop guard, etc.) or other management controls (e.g. speed limits) can reduce the severity of the problem.