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Hawksbill Turtle

The hawksbill turtle’s beak-like mouth is perfect for eating their favorite food: sponges!  As the only species of sea turtles that feed primarily on sponges, hawksbill turtles play a very important role in their ecosystem. Eating sponges helps succession to occur in the reef and opens up space for other organisms to grow.

 

Hawksbill turtles get their name from their beak-shaped mouth, which gives this species an advantage when reaching for prey in tight spots and coral reef crevices. These sea turtles have a particularly stunning shell, with jagged edges and streaks of orange, yellow, red, brown, and black patterned throughout the face of the shell. From head to tail, they measure up to 1 meter (3.5 feet) long.  

Hawksbills can be found throughout most of the world’s oceans, primarily in tropical regions, but sometimes also in temperate waters. They are spotted nesting on sandy beaches, roaming around coral reefs, and eating their primary source of food, sea sponges. While most of the time they eat sea sponges, hawksbills are also known to occasionally feed on corals, jellyfish, mollusks, crustaceans, urchins, and small fish. 

 

 

Hawksbill turtles face a wide variety of threats such as fishing activity, pollution, nest disruption, and habitat loss, leading to their classification as a critically endangered species by the IUCN Red List.  

Fishing  

A primary threat to these sea turtles is entanglement in fishing gear. In some cases, they are intentionally caught for their high-value shell, which is kept or sold for display. They also are frequently struck by vessels, both by fishing boats and other watercraft.

Nest Disruption 

While there are global efforts to protect hawksbill turtles and their nests, wild mammals such as rodents, feral cats, pigs, and dogs are known to dig up hawksbill nests and eat their eggs. Additionally, rising global temperatures have affected nests by heating up the eggs buried beneath the sand. The higher temperatures alter the ratio of male to female sea turtles, as warmer temperatures yield more female hatchlings. Higher nest temperatures can also be lethal to eggs, leading to lower numbers of hatchlings altogether.

Pollution 

Marine pollution degrades habitats and poses as a lethal snack for hawksbill sea turtles, as many sea turtles mistake floating debris for food.

 

 

Stopping plastic production at the source, putting an end to destructive fishing practices, and fighting climate change are vital to the recovery of hawksbill turtles. Oceana is working around the world to reduce overfishing and bycatch, protect threatened marine wildlife, and end plastic production. 

 

 

 

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