Hawksbill
| Class: Reptilia:
Reptiles |
Diet: Shellfish |
| Order:
Chelonia: Turtles and Tortoises |
| Size:
76 - 91 cm (30 - 36 in) |
| Family: Chelonidae:
Marine Turtles |
Conservation Status:
Critically endangered |
| Scientific Name: Eretmochelys
imbricata |
Habitat: coral reefs,
rocky coasts |
| Range:
Tropical Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans; Caribbean |
 The
hawksbill's beautiful carapace provides the best tortoiseshell and is the
reason for the endangered status of the species. Conservation controls
have been introduced after many years of hunting, and imports are banned
in some countries. The carapace is serrated at the back and has particularly
thick, horny plates. The tapering head of the hawksbill is an adaptation
for searching out food, such as mollusks and crustaceans, in rocky crevices
and reefs. In many areas hawksbills are opportunistic breeders, nesting
on any beach convenient to feeding grounds. They lay more eggs at a time
than any other turtle, usually about 150.
  
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