Hawksbill Sea Turtle
CONSERVATION STATUS:
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Hawksbill Sea Turtle Facts
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Eretmochelys imbricata
LIFE SPAN:
30-50 years
SIZE:
Around 3 feet
WEIGHT:
180 pounds
DIET:
Hawksbill sea turtles are omnivorous, meaning they eat both meat and vegetables or other non-meat species, such as algae. The turtle’s diet is mostly sea sponges, and they can eat sponges that are very toxic to other organisms. Hawksbill turtles will also feed on algae, jellyfish, and sea anemones.
PReDATORS:
The turtles have hard shells that protect them from many predators, but they do fall prey to large fish, sharks, octopi, and crocodiles.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Hawksbill turtles have a shell or carapace, that is amber-colored with many irregular light streaks. The hawksbill turtle’s name comes from the shape of its beak-like mouth that is shaped like the beak of a hawk. They also have visible claws on each flipper. Hawksbill turtle’s skin can be venomous because of their diet, and they are the first reptile to be known to be biofluorescent, or glow in the dark.
BEHAVIOR:
The hawksbill turtle is mainly found in tropical coral reefs, but they are highly migratory, meaning that they live in a wide range of habitats. Baby turtles, or hatchlings, will stay in the sea until they are fully mature, and will come onto land only to lay eggs. Turtles are mainly solitary, or alone, for most of their lives.
THREATS:
Like many turtles, hawksbill turtles are threatened by loss of nesting and feeding habitats. Pollution and growing human populations have killed coral reefs and have hunted the turtles for their shells. Also, the hawksbill turtles are very easily tangled by fishing nets and fish hooks.Â
How can you Help?
Click here for Sea Turtle Conservancy Website
More education and facts about Sea Turtles!
Learn all you can about sea turtles and share with others.
Reduce the amount of plastic waste you have and never throw anything into the ocean.
Don’t buy products made out of turtle shells.
Properly dispose of chemicals so they don’t end up in waterways.
Adopt a turtle at Sea Turtle Conservancy.
