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Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Hawksbill sea turtles are a species of marine turtles distributed worldwide. They are the only surviving species in the genus Eretmochelys. They are omnivorous. The species derived its name from having a narrow head that terminates in a sharp point much like a bird’s beak.

Scientific Classification
Quick Information

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Reptilia
Order	Testudines
Family	Cheloniidae
Genus	Eretmochelys
Scientific Name	Eretmochelys imbricata

Size	Around 1 meter
Weight	Around 80 kg; heaviest recorded specimen weighed 127 kg
Color	Shell is amber with non-uniform mix of light and dark streaks, with mainly black and spotted brown color radiating to the sides
Distribution	South Africa, Brazilian coast, southern Florida, Virginia, Caribbean, Costa Rica, Cuba, east coast of Africa, southern Asian coast, northern Australia, Philippines, Hawaii, Seychelles, Baja Peninsula in Mexico, southern Peru, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Ecuador
Habitat	Tropical coral reefs, open ocean, lagoons
Diet	Mainly sea sponges, also feed on algae, cnidarians, jellyfish, sea anemones
Predators	Large fishes, sharks, crocodiles, octopuses
Breeding Season	Atlantic population mate between April and November whereas Indian Ocean population mate from September to February
Mode of Reproduction	Oviparous (egg laying)
Clutch Size	Around 140 eggs
Incubation Period	Around 60 days
Reproductive Age	May attain sexual maturity at around 3 years of age
Average Lifespan	30 to 50 years
IUCN Conservation Status	Critically Endangered