Hawksbill Sea Turtle

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Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) images & facts - this gallery showcases stunning stock photos and illustrations of the hawksbill sea turtle and the majestic world that surrounds it, as well as interesting facts on this unique reptile. The hawksbill sea turtle is a small to medium size sea turtle with a weight of 88-176 lbs and a carapace length between 30-35 inches long. Its shell may feature a range of colors, including yellow, gold, cream, brown, amber, rust and black. The underside, or plastron, is typically cream-colored, as are its fins, which are spotted with dark scales.

Conservation status | Critically Endangered
Scientific Classification | Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Chordata > Class: Reptilia > Order: Testudines > Suborder: Cryptodia > Superfamily: Chelonioidea > Family: Cheloniidae > Genus: Eretmochelys > Species: E. imbricata
Binomial name | Eretmochelys imbricata

Hawksbill sea turtles are found in tropical waters throughout the world, and most frequently reside in the vicinity of coral reefs. They prefer shallower waters of 18 meters or less and are often found resting under coral ledges, outcroppings, and in other sheltered areas, such as caves.

Hawksbills are unusual in that their preferred food is the sponge. Sponges are toxic to most animals, and certain species contain slivers of glass-like silica. Some humans have died after eating the meat of the hawksbill that contained residual sponge toxins. Other foods eaten by hawksbills are jellyfish, snails, mollusks, anemones, sea urchins, crustaceans, sea plants, and scavenged fish and squid.

Hawksbill sea turtles nest about five times during a laying season, which occurs every 2-3 years. Each clutch contains about 130 eggs. It takes two months for the hawksbill eggs to hatch, which occurs at night. Hawksbill hatchlings typically go through a pelagic period where they disperse into the open ocean for a few years and then return to shallow waters when they reach 8-12 inches in length. However, research suggests that hawksbills from Hawaii and Seychelles may skip this pelagic period and stay close to home all their lives. It takes hawksbills 20 to 40 years to become adults. Their average longevity is not known.

Despite the hawksbill’s efforts to conceal its eggs, they are sometimes found and consumed by people, dogs, rats, and raccoons. Herons, gulls, and crabs intercept hatchlings as they travel from their nest to the sea. If they manage to reach the sea, they are then preyed upon by humans, sharks, crocodiles, octopuses, and large fish. These dangers, along with the marketability of their shell, make them highly threatened as a species.

Biologists believe that the population of hawksbill sea turtles has gone down by 80% in the last 100 years. Fewer than 15,000 nesting females reach worldwide shores each year to lay eggs. The IUCN lists the hawksbill as Critically Endangered.
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