How The Hawksbill Turtle Endangered Status Helps Other Marine Life
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. The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus Eretmochelys. Hawksbills are named for their narrow, pointed beak. They also have a distinctive pattern of overlapping scales on their shells that forms a serrated look on the edges. These colored and patterned shells. Named for its distinctive hawk-like beak, the hawksbill is a small- to medium-sized marine turtle widely distributed in the Caribbean Sea and western Atlantic Ocean. The hawksbill turtle’s tapered head ends in a sharp point resembling a bird’s beak, hence its name. A further distinctive feature is a pair of claws adorning each flipper.
The Hawksbill’s narrow head and jaws shaped like a beak allow it to get food from crevices in coral reefs. One of the smaller sea turtle species, adults measure between 2.5 to 3 feet in carapace length. Hawksbills are the only marine consumer whose diet predominantly comprises sponges, and thus they play a major role in coral reef ecosystems. Hawksbills commonly nest within beach vegetation on. The hawksbill sea turtle is a small, agile turtle with an oval-shaped body. The reptile has powerful toothless jaws and a raptorlike "beak," which earned the hawksbill its name. Hawksbill turtles are found throughout the tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They avoid deep waters, preferring coastlines where sponges are abundant and sandy nesting sites.
Hawksbill Turtle | Sea Turtle Species — The State of the World's Sea ...
