HiguInfo- Home of Sea Turtles

Distribution

The hawksbill turtle is circumtropical, usually occurring in coral reef areas in tropical and subtropical waters, with distribution ranging from 45°N to 38°S latitude.

Description

Hawksbill’s appearance is that of a typical sea turtle. Its carapace is composed of five central scutes, flanked by four pairs of costal scutes. Scutes overlap on carapace, which is unique to this species. The dorsal surface of its head has two pairs of prefrontal scales. It is named for its narrow head and bird-like beak. The carapace is brightly colored with intricate patterns, and the ventral side is yellow. It’s one of the smaller species, a matured adult weigh approximately 80 kg, with carapace 75-85 cm in length.

Ecology

Hatchlings feed on planktons, taking shelter and floating along in sargassum seaweed. As they grow older, the juvenile and adult hawksbills migrate to coastal areas, where they will forage in coral reefs for sponge and other invertebrates.

Major Threats

Due to the international trade in hawksbill turtles’ beautiful carapace for ornamental purposes, they were hunted for decades, almost to extinction, with Japan being the largest importer of related products. Now they are considered “critically endangered” worldwide in the IUCN Red List, and trading of its carapace and other products are banned. Despite the fact that trade of their carapace is illegal, there is still a thriving black market. Though great effort to conserve hawksbill is undertaken, it is difficult to determine their population because they’re generally solitary.