Hawksbill Sea Turtles

“Learning about the different sea turtles was so much more exciting after seeing one up close. Belize made me interested in helping Hawksbill Hope. The creatures are too beautiful to not want to help out.” — Elizabeth Schmit, Summer ’11

Eretmochelys imbricata, family Cheloniidae.

The hawksbill turtle is small to medium-sized compared to other sea turtle species.

Their head is elongated and tapers to a point, with a beak-like mouth that gives the species its name. The shape of the mouth allows the hawksbill turtle to reach into holes and crevices of coral reefs to find sponges, their primary food source as adults, and other invertebrates.

Hawksbill turtles are unique among sea turtles in that they have two pairs of prefrontal scales on the top of the head and each of the flippers usually has two claws. Read more http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/hawksbill.htm

Coming soon: What does critically endangered mean? What threats do Hawksbills face?