Hawksbill sea turtles inhabit the tropical and sub-tropical waters of all of the world’s major oceans. Hawksbills get their name from their unique beak-like mouth, which resembles that of a hawk and is perfect for finding food sources in hard-to-reach cracks and crevices. They are the only species of sea turtle that can survive on a diet consisting mainly of sponges. Hawksbill turtles play a key role in the function of marine ecosystems.
In many parts of the world, hawksbills face the unique threat of being hunted for their beautiful shell, also known as “tortoise shell”, which is used by craftspeople to create many types of jewelry and trinkets. The historical hunting and killing of hawksbills for their shell nearly drove the species to extinction. Today, the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) forbids the trade of any turtle products on the international market, including hawksbill tortoise shell, but illegal hunting continues to represent a threat to the species in many parts of the world.
Hawksbill turtles have mottled shells consisting of an irregular combination of shades of amber, orange, red, yellow, black and brown. The shells typically have serrated edges, with overlapping scutes. Their head comes to a tapered point and their lower jaw is V-shaped, giving them a hawk-like appearance. Hawksbills grow up to 2 to 3 feet in shell length and can weigh between 100 and 150 pounds at maturity. Hatchlings are only 2 to 3 inches long and mostly brown in color. Hawksbills have four scales (two pairs) between their eyes and four scutes along the edge of each side of their carapace.
Credit : NOAA Fisheries
Picture Credit : Google
