Hawksbill Turtle

The Hawksbill Turtle is one of the smallest sea turtles and derives its name from its narrow head and hawk-like beak.

Its distinctive head is narrow and has two pairs of prefrontal scales (scales in front of its eyes), is jaw is not serrated. The shell or carapace is bony without ridges and has large overlapping scales or scutes, in all there are just four lateral scutes. The Carapace is elliptical in shape and the flippers have two claws. The shell is orange, brown or yellow and hatchlings are mostly brown with pale blotches on scales/scutes.

The adults Hawksbill grows to three feet in length and can weigh up to one hundred and fifty pounds.

The Hawksbill turtle's narrow head with jaws shaped like a beak allow it to forage for food in the crevices of coral reefs. Their diet consists of sponges, anemones, squid and shrimp. Their habitat is coastal reefs, rocky areas, estuaries and lagoons.

They nest at intervals of two or three years and may nest two to four times per season laying on average 160 eggs in each nest. The eggs incubate for about 60 days.

The Hawksbill turtle can be found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.