Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Blog by Natalie Kerr

THE HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLE

Eretmochelys imbricata

Image from National Geographic

The Hawksbill sea turtle plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of coral reefs and sea grass beds which are home to thousands of other species in marine ecosystems all over the world. Similar to other species in their family, Hawksbills, due to a number of causes, are critically endangered. In fact, the Hawksbill sea turtle has been listed (along with all of its subspecies) as endangered under the U.S. Federal Register (before the enactment of the ESA(1973) on June 2, 1970), the U.S. Endangered Species Act, CITES (Appendix I), as well as a number of other international conservation organizations throughout its range (1).  

Species & Ecology Description 

Hawksbills are on the smaller side of sea turtle species as their carapaces, or top shells, can be anywhere from 65-90 cm, and they can weigh, on average,100-200 pounds (2). They have elongated heads that taper into a point with their mouthes resembling that of a bird's beak– giving the species its name, 'Hawksbill'. A Hawksbill can easily be identified by observing its carapace that has thick "scutes", or thick, bony plates, that overlap causing it to look almost serrated which protects them from being injured by sharp, hard coral and rocks during storms (3 &4). Also unique, Hawksbills' carapaces can have dazzling yellow, orange, red and brown markings. Interestingly enough, hatchlings are born almost completely brown. In addition, Hawksbills have two claws at the end of each of their flippers. 

Hawksbills are carnivores and feed on sponges with the help of their pointed beak-like mouthes that allow them to reach into holes and crevices in the coral reefs of which they reside. They also feed on other species such as jellies, invertebrate species like urchins and mollusks, as well as algae. By keeping the populations of sponges (which compete with many other reef organisms for space) down, they play a vital role in their ecosystems which predominately consists of rich, coral reefs (5 & 6). 

Geographic Facts & Population 

Hawksbills reside in tropical and subtropical regions, typically from 30º N to 30º S latitude in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans (1). They are seldom found in water deeper than 65 feet and (aside from coral reefs) are also found in rocky, shallow coastal areas, lagoons, and near oceanic islands (7). Between foraging and nesting, Hawksbills are a highly migratory species. What used to be a common species, Hawksbills only have an estimated 15,000 nesting females left accounting for 30% of their population; whereas in 2007 there were an estimated 28,000 nesting females (7). They are particularly struggling in the Pacific Ocean where they used to be abundant.

Current Threats

There are over just over 30 listed current threats to the existence of the Hawksbill– almost all of them are accredited to human impact (1). However, the most prevalent threat to the species is human exploitation for their valuable carapaces (commonly known as 'tortoiseshell') often carved into hair  clips, combs, jewelry and other trinkets. Unfortunately, although Hawksbills are protected in many regions under CITES, some countries and island chains (Cuba, Haiti, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and a few more) still permit the 'taking' of Hawksbills (2). Even more disheartening, there is an alarming amount of illegal trade of tortoiseshell– there is an especially high demand in Asia recently.



A second serious threat to the existence of Hawksbills is the degradation and loss of nesting sites due to coastal construction, increased human presence, the direct 'taking' of eggs, light pollution, beach mining, vehicular driving on beaches, etc.

Image from National Geographic

What is being done?

(1) As the Hawksbill sea turtle is listed under the U.S. ESA, it has its very own recovery plan which is as follows:

1) Nesting Environments
       - Protect and manage turtles on nesting beaches
       - Protect and manage nesting habitat
2) Marine Environments
       - Protect and manage hawksbill populations in the marine habitat
       - Protect and manage marine habitats (including foraging habitats)
3) Ensure proper care in captivity

       - Develop standards for the care and maintenance of sea turtles, including diet, water quality, tank size, and treatment of injury and disease

       - Establish a catalog of all captive sea turtles to enhance use for research and education

       - Designate rehabilitation facilities

4) International Cooperation

       - Support existing international agreements and conventions to ensure that turtles in all life stages are protected in foreign waters

       - Encourage ratification of the CITES for all non-member Pacific countries, compliance with CITES requirements, and removal of sea turtle trade reservations held by member nations

       - Develop new international agreements to ensure that turtles in all life-stages are protected in foreign waters

       - Develop or continue to support informational displays in Republic of Palau, Guam, Hawaii, American Samoa, Northern Marianas, the Marshall Islands, the FSM and other airports which provide connecting legs for travelers to the area

What can YOU do?

Unfortunately, if you are not a resident of an area where this species can be found, there is a not a significant amount that you can personally do. However, if you are ever traveling in an area where Hawksbill turtles nest or are found, I highly encourage you to not buy ANY tortoiseshell products. More over, if you are ever in a scenario where you can witness the hatching of Hawksbill hatchlings, give them their space (15 feet is recommended), DO NOT shine any artificial light (flashes from cameras or phones, flashlights, etc.) on the hatchlings as it could blind or disorient them, and DO NOT block them from getting to the ocean (8). Do your part (even if it's seemingly small) to protect the existence of this magnificent species! 

References:

(1) National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2008. Recovery Plan for the U.S. Pacific Populations of the Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD. 

(2) "Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)." NOAA Fisheries. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 30 Oct. 2014. Web. 24 Nov. 2015. 

(3) "Hawksbill Sea Turtle." National Geographic Animals. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.

(4) "Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)". ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, n. d. Web. 20 Nov. 2015. 

(5) "Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys Imbricata)." Costa Rica Turtles. Save the Turtles, n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2015.

(6) "Hawksbill Turtle." WWF. World Wildlife Fund, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.

(7) "Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys Imbricata)." North Florida Ecological Services Office. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Jan. 2015. Web. 23 Nov. 2015. 

(8) "Hawaiian Sea Turtles." Hawai'i Wildlife Fund, Conserving Hawaii's Native Wildlife. Hawai'i Wildlife Fund, n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2015.

Photos:

http://tvblogs.nationalgeographic.com/files/2014/06/Hawksbill_Sea_Turtle_Carey_de_Concha_5840602412.jpg 

https://s-media-cache ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1c/8a/b4/1c8ab456d95c55fd3c40b2cb079b7a59.jpg

http://divebuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/divebuzz-turtle-0060.jpg

http://www.mesa.edu.au/turtles/images/hawksbill-distrib.gif

https://graciousgood.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/tortoishellcollection.jpg

http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/gvnblog/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/turtle.jpg

Blog by Natalie Kerr