Hawksbill Turtle

The Hawksbill Turtle is classified as Critically Endangered (CR), facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

The hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in its genus. The species has a worldwide distribution, with Atlantic and Pacific subspecies. More

The hawksbill turtle is small to medium-sized compared to other sea turtle species. Adults weigh 100-150 lbs (45 to 68 kg) on average, but can grow as large as 200 lbs (91 kg). Hatchlings weigh about 0.5 oz (14 g). More

Hawksbill Turtles in the U.S. Carribean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico, National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, 1993. Obtained from the National Marine Fisheries Service, St. Petersburg, Florida, and used with their kind permission. More

hunting hawksbill turtles for their flesh, which is considered good eating. Hawksbill turtle shells are the primary source of tortoise shell material, used for decorative purposes. More

hawksbill turtles have been recorded. Also found around the Oceanic Islands and Indian Ocean. Hawksbill turtles are most commonly found in coral reef habitats where sponges, a food source for hawksbills, grow on solid substrate. More

The Hawksbill Turtle is a sea turtle that have decreased in number due poaching for its beautiful shell. Now both import and export of the Hawksbill Turtle is prohibited. But there is another problem: the sandy beaches where it lays its eggs are disappearing. More

trade in hawksbill turtles and products derived from them in many nations. Eretmochelys imbricata has the typical appearance of a marine turtle. Like the other members of its family, it has a depressed body form and flipper-like limbs adapted for swimming. More

status of the Hawksbill turtle, and tend to be somewhat biased towards those subpopulations for which long-term quantitative data exist. More

The distribution of the Hawksbill turtle is circumtropical, occurring from 39oEN to 300ES latitude in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans and the surrounding bodies of water. More

A hawksbill turtle swims just above the seafloor with flippers spread like wings. Hawksbills get their name from their tapered heads, which end in a sharp point resembling a bird's beak. More

Service, of the three turtles, the hawksbill turtle is the most endangered in the Eastern Caribbean. More

Hawksbill turtles are well known for their beautiful carapace often referred to as "tortoise shell" which was exploited for many years by the fashion industry. More

Recovery Plan for the Hawksbill Turtle in the U.S. More

The Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata is one of six species of sea turtle occurring in the Caribbean and its populations have been, and continue to be, impacted by a wide variety of threats. More

The hawksbill turtle is one of 3 varieties of sea turtles (green, hawksbill, and loggerhead) that nest in Belize. The hawksbill sea turtle is a small to medium sized sea turtle, reaching 34 inches in length and 175 pounds in weight. More

Description: The Hawksbill Turtle is a small to medium-sized sea turtle that can grow to over three feet in length and weigh more than 150 pounds. More

green turtles, the hawksbill turtle and its eggs have historically been relied upon in the Pacific Islands region as a source of nutrition. The shell of the hawksbill has been described as “the world’s first plastic” and has served a multitude of purposes, both ornamental and practical. More

Hawksbill turtles also feed on invertebrates, with a predilection for sponges. When they dislodge pieces from the surface of the coral, this provides access to opportunistic reef fish to feed. More

Hawksbill turtles in CITES At the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP11), Cuba put forward a proposal (Prop. 11. More

The Hawksbill turtle is in the family Cheloniidae (“Hawksbill turtle 1”). The status of this turtle still has not changed since 1970; it is still endangered (“Hawksbill Turtle Fact Sheet”). More

A Hawksbill turtle hatchling heads for the ocean. NPS photo A Hawksbill Turtle hatchling heads for the ocean. More

A hawksbill turtle is a small to a medium sized turtle. Hawksbill turtles can grow in length up to 30 to 36 inches. They can weigh from 100-200 pounds. The biggest sea turtle is the leatherback turtle. More

Common names

Atlantic Hawksbill Sea Turtle in English - English
Bisa in Lithuanian - lietuvių kalba
Caret in French - français
carey in English - English
Echte Karettschildkrote in German - Deutsch
Eretmochelys imbricata in Italian - Italiano
Eretmochelys imbricata in Spanish - español
hawksbill in English - English
hawksbill sea turtle in English - English
Hawksbill Turtle in English - English
Hawksbill Turtle in Ukrainian - українська мова
Kareta pravá in Czech - česky
Karetschildpad in Dutch - Nederlands
Karettikilpikonna in Finnish - suomen kieli
Tartaruga-de-pente in Portuguese - Português
Tortue à bec faucon in French - français
Tortue à écailles in French - français
Tortue caret in French - français
Tortue imbriquée in French - français
Tortuga carey in Spanish - español
Tortuga-marina de carey in Spanish - español
Бисса in Russian - русский язык
Бісса in Ukrainian - українська мова
настоящая каретта in Russian - русский язык
เต่ากระ in Thai - ไทย
アオウミガメ属 in Japanese - 日本語
タイマイ in Japanese - 日本語