Hawksbill Turtle
Eretmochelys imbricate
For centuries the hawksbill’s attractive shell has been the main source of tortoiseshell. Despite international legislation, illegal trade in this commodity continues, and the hawksbill is one of the most seriously threatened sea turtles in the world. Sea turtles such as the hawksbill have always been exploited by humans for food, oil, and skins. On a local scale a balance can be maintained, but the pressure of human activities over the last 50 years has resulted in all sea turtle species becoming endangered. For many years the hawksbill’s attractively colored shell has been the main source of tortoiseshell, used for glasses frames, combs, ornaments, and jewelry. The scutes (hornlike shields) of the hawksbill shell are exceptionally thick, making them ideal for carving. Japan has been the largest user, importing an average of 30 tons (305 kg) of shell per year between 1970 and 1994. More than half of this was from the Caribbean-particularly Cuba-and Latin America. In the 1980s Japan’s stockpile of hawksbill shell represented the death of over 170,000 turtles. Although a member of CITES, Japan did not ban shell imports until 1993. Proposals by Cuba to allow the exportation of hawksbill shell to Japan by transferring the species from CITES Appendix I to Appendix II were defeated in 1997 and 2000. However, turtle meat and eggs are still consumed and sold in many countries. Illegal shipments of shell are often intercepted, and tourist souvenirs, including whole turtles, stuffed and lacquered, are openly traded in many countries. Bringing any part of a sea turtle back from vacation is illegal, and seizures, sometimes followed by fines, are common. Hawksbill have been recorded on the coasts of at least 96 different countries, and nesting takes place only on sandy beaches. Suitable sites exist in the Caribbean (particularly Puerto Rico), Central and South America, and Florida. In at least two of their former haunts the species is now thought to be extinct. Often four or more clutches-of up to 140 eggs each-are laid, usually overnight. This process takes up to three hours, during which time the females and their eggs are vulnerable to predators, including people. An interval of two or three years occurs between each breeding. Hawksbill take at least 30 years to mature to breeding age, a factor that badly affects the replenishment of the population.
Human Interference
Although classed as endangered since 1970, the hawksbill’s situation has not improved. Estimates of the worldwide population are impossible to arrive at, but observers who monitor breeding females in various countries are convinced that numbers are falling. Even without human interference sea turtles’ eggs and hatchlings face severe predation from wild pigs, monitor lizards, crabs, dogs, and seabirds. Humans multiply the threats. The sandy beaches needed for turtle nesting are encroached on by building, mainly for tourist facilities. Beach leveling and mechanical raking can destroy nests, while offroad vehicles compact the sand, crushing eggs and producing tire tracks that prevent hatchlings reaching the sea. People simply walking on nesting sites, especially at night, deter nesting female turtles and compact the sand. In addition, artificial lighting along beaches has increased, and hatchlings that would naturally head toward the light on the horizon at sea instead make for the shore lights and die from either dehydration or predation. Other threats come from fishing nets and lines. Some countries insist on turtle-excluder devices on the nets, but they are not always used. Turtles are often killed or mutilated by boat propellers. Pollution by sewage, pesticides, and other chemicals causes further problems. The hawksbill is gravely endangered by the destruction of coral reefs from silting and excavation for building purposes. Illegal capture of the turtles is also widespread.
HAWKSBILL TURTLE DATA PANEL Hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata
- Family: Cheloniidae
- World population: Unknown
- Distribution: Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans
- Habitat: Shallow tropical and subtropical seas; coral reefs; mangrove bays; estuaries
- Size: Length: female 24-37 in (62-94 cm); male up to 39 in (99 cm)
- Form: Oval shell with serrated (toothed) edge; dark pattern on amber background
- Diet: Sponges and mollusks; algae
- Breeding: Up to 140 eggs per clutch; 4-5 clutches per season
- Related endangered species: All other sea turtles
