The Hawksbill tortoise (eretmoclys imbricata) is commonly found in tidal and sub-tidal habitats of corals and rocky reefs through tropical and subtropical waters.
Sponges constitute the main part of the Hawksbills diet, although they also feed on algae, kelp, soft corals and clams.
The Hawksbill turtle has a great parrot beak. Other features include:
o 4 pairs or larger scales on both sides (coastal scales)
o Thick overlapping shell (protective, shell coating on the back of the turtle) scales
o Carapache with a low dome with inverted edges
o Adult shell approx. 0.8m
o olive gray
In Australia, the main feeding area extends along the East Coast, including the Great Barrier Reef. Other feeding areas include the Torres Strait and the archipelagoes of the Northern Territory and Western Australia, to the south, to Coral Bay and Shark Bay.
In Western Australia, Hawksbills typically have smaller annual breeding populations of tens to hundreds of turtles. However, they have an extended nesting period and can nest at any time of the year. Their peak nesting period is between October and February. They often share nesting beaches in the middle of the season with other types of turtles, but farewell breeding is much earlier.
The confirmed northern nesting areas of the Gascoyne region include the beaches of Ningalu from the Coral Bay area north to the islands of Muron. There are no records that Hawksbills nest in more southerly places.
As of December 2005, a total of about 2,500 nesting females have been tagged and released for population studies.
There is a widespread belief that Hawksbill can be poisonous. Australian aborigines consider this and usually collect only eggs at coastal sites. Some small illegal trade in the shells of the Hawksbill turtle has recently been discovered, but there is currently no evidence of organized or mainstream trade in Australia. Historical foreign trade did take place.
On this page there is not only a lot of information about sea turtles, but also look at my other related topics, including:
o Life cycle of sea turtles
o Green turtles
o Loggerhead Turtles
o Sea turtles in Coral Bay, Ningalu Reef
