The EndangeredHawksbill Turtle
The recent Convention on International Tradein Endangered Species (CITES) Wider Caribbean Region, hosted byGrand Cayman, focused on the status of the Hawksbill turtle. Itmay be said that the Hawksbill turtle is to the sea what the BaldEagle is to the skies of North America -- beautiful and graceful,yet it is 'critically endangered.'
Named for its distinctive pointed beak,the Hawksbill is found throughout the world. It has been capturedby man from antiquity, mainly for its beautiful shell, which isused to make ornamental jewellery. Found in the tropical and subtropicalseas of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, it is also widelyfound in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Today there is continuing demand for itsshell, and other parts of the turtle are used for products suchas leather, oil, perfume and cosmetics. Japan is the world's majorimporter of Hawksbill shell, which still commands a price of over$200 per kilogram. This high price for the shell is a main factoragainst the turtle's protection.
The Hawksbill is small to medium in sizecompared to other sea turtles. Its shell is richly patterned withirregular radiating streaks of brown or black on an amber background.
It can be found in different habitats atdifferent stages of life. Hawksbill can be found in open ocean,but primarily in coastal waters, reefs and along mangrove fringes.They begin breeding after more than 30 years, and usually neston small beaches. Females lay up to 200 eggs in their nests everytwo or three years.
Threats to the turtle are many and hundredsof thousands are killed each year. The dangers include poachers,especially while they are nesting on beaches; poaching of eggs;man-made development and erosion of nesting beaches; developmentor fortification of beachfronts; heavy machinery, pipelines andincreased human activity; removal of beach sand; and landscapingbeach areas. Artificial lights disorient adult turtles and hatchlings,and natural predators such as crabs and fish also prey on eggsand hatchlings. Other risks are posed by sewage, pesticides and
other pollutants released into the sea.
The risks are also great in the open sea,where they become caught or are "by-catch" in trawlernets, gill nets, long lines and ropes. As Hawksbill are omnivorousand eat a variety of food, they also eat dangerous ocean debrissuch as plastic bags, styrofoam and balloons. Oil spill encounters,propeller damage and collisions in areas with heavy boat trafficis also common.
While the meat is edible. Its skin is highly toxic with chelonitoxinand can cause serious illness if eaten.
Some effects include nausea, burning sensationof the lips and mouth, tightness of the chest, difficulty swallowing,skin rash, enlargement of the liver, coma and even death. Thefatality rate for eating this species is high, and there are noknown antidotes.
The Hawksbill's fragile status has not changedsince it was declared endangered in 1970.