Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Hawksbill sea turtles are very important to our environment. One interesting fact is that they eat sea sponges unlike jellyfish and sea grass. Right now Hawksbill sea turtles are critically endangered that means there are almost extinct. You can find Hawksbill's in coral reefs in the tropics, in tropical rocky areas and in shallow coastal areas. People kill these turtles for their shell, meat and their eggs. Hawksbill's shells are used to make hair clips and fancy antique furniture. The reason people like the Hawksbill's shell is because there is over lapping plates that have a brown and peach color that is on the shell. Their eggs are used in many local foods throughout the globe, especially in Asia. Hawksbill's nest at night like many other sea turtles they do that so it is harder for them to be killed. They nest every 2-4 years and each nest has around 160 eggs in it. They start nesting when they are 25-35 years old. Most of the time the baby turtle’s nest at night so there won’t be may predators around. Many animals such as birds and sharks like to eat turtle hatchlings. It is very sad to see. Hawksbill's con swim up to 24 kilo meters per hour and they usually live 30-50 years. The main threats to hawksbill's are the collecting of eggs, wild life trade, accidental capture, habitat loss pollution and climate change. Did you know it takes over 30 year for a hawksbill to become an adult? An adult Hawksbill weighs 101-154 pounds, they way only a tiny bit when they are a baby. Only one or two hawksbill's nest in Florida each year while 35 nest in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Half of the hawksbill's eggs are taken by humans and only 1/1000 of all hatchlings survive to n adult. Right now there are 8,000 nesting females and the population is rapidly dropping. If we don’t help these animals it may be too late to save them. You can do some simple things to help turtles. Whenever you go out on the boat you should pick up any plastic bags that you see. Turtles mistake them as jelly fish and they eat them, choke on them and then they die. You can also help by donating to any company that helps turtles some companies are WWF (World Wildlife Fund), Sea Turtle conservancy, Conservation International and Oceana. There is still other ways to help! If you live on a beach where sea turtles nest on you should not have any lights on late at night. When babies hatch they find the sea by following the light that shine off the water from the moon if the lights are on they will go the wrong direction and probably get killed or they would be too weak when they finally get in the water if they do. You can also help by not cutting down any mangrove Sea turtles use them as a nursery when they are young. Many other animals use it for the same purpose. Do marine clean ups to clean our environment and not letting any garbage go back in the sea. Don't buy any turtle products usually it comes from a turtles eggs or parts of their body. those are only the main ways you can help , there is still so much more way to help those poor turtles that are being killed for their shell.
Main facts:
Major threats
Habitat loss
Accidental capture
Climate change
Pollution
Wildlife trade
Poaching of eggs Ways you can help
Starts nesting: 25-35 years Don't buy any turtle products
Eggs per nest: 160 If you life on a beach that turtles nest on, turn off the
Swimming speed: 24km/ph lights at night
Adult age: More than 30 years Donate to comppanies that help sea turtles
Lifespan: 30-50 years Do any marine cleanups
Size: Adults get 75-90 cm Pick up any plastic bags
Weight: Adults weigh 101-154 pounds Don't cut down mangrove forests
Extra Information
Top ten worst countries for turtle conservation Companies that help sea turtles
1. Japan WWF (World Wildlife Fund)
2. Taiwan Oceana
3. Spain Conservation International
4. Korea Sea turtle Conservancy
5. Philippines
6. Indonesia
7. Thailand
8. Morocco
9. Cuba
10. Equatorial Guinea
Top ten best countries for turtle conservation
1. Australia
2. United States of America
3. Costa Rica
4. Mexico
5. Brazil
6. French Guiana
7. Oman
8. Suriname
9. Greece
10. Malaysia
Major threats
Habitat loss
Accidental capture
Climate change
Pollution
Wildlife trade
Poaching of eggs Ways you can help
Starts nesting: 25-35 years Don't buy any turtle products
Eggs per nest: 160 If you life on a beach that turtles nest on, turn off the
Swimming speed: 24km/ph lights at night
Adult age: More than 30 years Donate to comppanies that help sea turtles
Lifespan: 30-50 years Do any marine cleanups
Size: Adults get 75-90 cm Pick up any plastic bags
Weight: Adults weigh 101-154 pounds Don't cut down mangrove forests
Extra Information
Top ten worst countries for turtle conservation Companies that help sea turtles
1. Japan WWF (World Wildlife Fund)
2. Taiwan Oceana
3. Spain Conservation International
4. Korea Sea turtle Conservancy
5. Philippines
6. Indonesia
7. Thailand
8. Morocco
9. Cuba
10. Equatorial Guinea
Top ten best countries for turtle conservation
1. Australia
2. United States of America
3. Costa Rica
4. Mexico
5. Brazil
6. French Guiana
7. Oman
8. Suriname
9. Greece
10. Malaysia