Hawksbill Sea Turtle - Tatiana Edell

The Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Photo by Christine East Wise, Your Shot

It was a hot day in mid-July. I had just finished a hike with my volunteer group to a salt basin right off of the ocean. I was on a two week study abroad trip to learn about the rapid decline of coral reefs in the area, which in turn is affecting the entire ecosystem. I, along with 16 other students were volunteering for a non-profit organization in Bayabé, Dominican Republic called Fundemar. We were staying on a remote island located in the Dominican Republic called Isla Saona, learning about the endangered sea turtles who nest along the most of the shoreline of the island.

When we arrived back at our beach hut, we were greeted by two men who have dedicated their entire lives to help protect and rescue the Hawksbill sea turtle population on and around Isla Saona. I, along with my group were made aware that although the island is a government protected nature reserve with a human population of 300, the turtle population is declining on the tourist filled islands that neighbor and surround Isla Saona. That night, I traveled over 10 miles on foot and motorbike through the forests and rocky beaches on the island in an effort to locate and collect eggs of endangered turtles.

The purpose behind collecting the nests was to increase the endangered turtles' chance to make it back to the ocean. Our two guides explained to us that with the help of humans, Hawksbill turtles are over 70% more likely to make it all of the way to the ocean after hatching. I was told that most Hawksbill sea turtle eggs are either stolen, or eaten before the turtles are even ready to hatch. By the end of the night, I had helped protect over 200 Hawksbill and Leatherback sea turtle eggs When we returned to base at 5 in the morning the next day, we met up at the two men's head quarters and were able to witness one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen: Hawksbill turtles hatching and then being set free into their natural habitat.

      

Ever since that experience, I have been attached to ocean and the marine life that inhabits it.

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Taxonomy:
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Chordata
Class - Reptilla
Order - Testudines
Family - Chrloniidae
Genus - Eretmochelys
Species - Imbricata

The Hawksbill sea turtle, also known as Eretmochelys imbricata, has been endangered throughout its range since June 2, 1970 (NOAA). It is a medium sized turtle, weighing anywhere between 100-150 pounds by adulthood, and can grow up 35 inches long. The Hawksbill sea turtle's shell is dark to golden brown with streaks of orange, red, and black. The hatchlings of the Hawksbill sea turtle are a dark brown color.

Geographic and Population Changes

The Hawksbill sea turtle inhabits the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, the Carribean, and the Into-Pacific ocean. They live in or near coral reefs, as well as on or near the rocky outcrops and high energy shoals (both optimum sites for sponges) of the oceans. They are not found in the Mediterranean Sea, and are most common in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

Females nest high up on beaches under or in beach dunes with little to no sand. The turtles nest at night 14-16 days during nesting season, which is between April and November. Females lay 3-5 nests per season, each containing 130 eggs on average.

Listing Data

The Hawksbill sea turtle has been on the Endangered Species Act (ESA) since 1970. In 1998, a critical habitat was designed for Hawksbill turtles in coastal waters surrounding Mona and Monito Islands in Puerto Rico. A critical habitat is a geographical area occupied by the species in danger. Critical habitats are made if the physical or biological features of the area is crucial to the survival of the species, and if those features require special management considerations or protection. 

Threats

• Habitat loss of coral reef communities
• Harvest of eggs and meat
• Commercial exploitation
• Increased recreational and commercial use of nesting beaches in the Pacific
• Incidental capture in fishing gear
• General threats to marine turtles (environmental contamination, disease, and marine debris)

Recovery Plan

In order to delist the species:

1. all regional populations that use U.S. waters have been identified to source beaches based on reasonable geographic parameters
2. Each stock much average 1,000 females estimated to nest annually (FENA) over 6 years
3. all females estimated to nest annually at the source beaches are either stable or increasing for 25 years
4. existing foraging areas are maintained as healthy environments
5. foraging populations are exhibiting statistically significant increases at several key foraging grounds within each stock region
6. all priority tasks have been implemented
7. a management plan designed to maintain sustained populations of turtles is in place
8. ensure formal cooperative relationships with regional sea turtle management programs
9. international agreements are in place to protect shared stocks

How can you help?

The good news is, there are ways to help the Hawksbill sea turtle. Some of the ways you can help them survive are listen below. Here you can read how and or why these things help save the turtles.

• Turn out lights visible from the beach
• Reduce the amount of garbage your produce and and clean up trash you find on the beach
• Be aware of sea turtle nesting areas and avoid nesting locations and hatching turtles.
• Reduce the amount of chemicals you use
• Volunteer
• Spread awareness

References

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1998. Recovery  Plan for U.S. Pacific Populations of the Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) National Marin Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD.