HAWKSBILL SEA TURTLE (Eretmochelys imbricata)

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Description: The Hawksbill sea turtle is one of seven sea turtles found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the world. It has a strongly hooked beak — much like a hawk's — and a brown and yellow shell. Adults weigh between 100 and 200 pounds. Major threats to the hawksbill include destruction of nesting grounds, being taken as bycatch in commercial fishing operations, and being collected by humans for their shells.

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
USFWS Status: Endangered
Major Threats: Destruction of nesting grounds; incidental capture in fishing gear
Habitat: Reefs, shoals, lagoons of oceanic islands and continental shelves
Location: Worldwide tropical oceans
Diet: Mainly sponges; also sea jellies, coelenterates and other marine life