The Hawksbill Turtle
The hawksbill turtle are found in the atlantic, pacific, indian oceans, or any tropical waters. They are normally found near reefs rich with sponges. The Hawksbill turtle feeds on sponges and they are also omnivorous and will also eat mollusks, marine algae, crustaceans, sea urchins, fish, and jellyfish. Without them, sponges have the ability to overgrow corals and suffocate the reefs. Hawksbill are important inhabitants of coral reefs. It’s estimated that one turtle one turtle can consume 1,000 pounds of sponges per year. Sponges contain toxic chemical compounds which accumulate in the animal’s tissues because of the Hawksbill sponge diet, their flesh is harmful to humans.
They are named for their narrow, pointed, bird-like beak. They are considered by many the …show more content…
Its carapace, brightly colored with intricate designs, is traded internationally for ornamental purposes. The shell is used for items such as jewelry, combs and brushes, and inlay in furniture and other decorative pieces. Hawksbills were hunted almost to extinction prior to the ban on the tortoiseshell trade; Japan imported an estimated 2 million turtles between 1950 and 1992. Despite the fact that the international trade of their shells is now illegal, there is still a thriving black market. Other threats include destruction of nesting and feeding habitat, pollution, boat strikes, coastal development, entanglement in fishing gear, and destructive fishing practices like dynamite fishing. Dynamite fishing uses explosives to stun or kill fish, usually on reefs, for easy collection. The practice also causes extensive damage to coral reefs and harms other animals that may be nearby. Although illegal, this destructive type of fishing is still widespread in Southeast Asia, the Aegean Sea, El Salvador, and
The hawksbill turtle are found in the atlantic, pacific, indian oceans, or any tropical waters. They are normally found near reefs rich with sponges. The Hawksbill turtle feeds on sponges and they are also omnivorous and will also eat mollusks, marine algae, crustaceans, sea urchins, fish, and jellyfish. Without them, sponges have the ability to overgrow corals and suffocate the reefs. Hawksbill are important inhabitants of coral reefs. It’s estimated that one turtle one turtle can consume 1,000 pounds of sponges per year. Sponges contain toxic chemical compounds which accumulate in the animal’s tissues because of the Hawksbill sponge diet, their flesh is harmful to humans.
They are named for their narrow, pointed, bird-like beak. They are considered by many the …show more content…
Its carapace, brightly colored with intricate designs, is traded internationally for ornamental purposes. The shell is used for items such as jewelry, combs and brushes, and inlay in furniture and other decorative pieces. Hawksbills were hunted almost to extinction prior to the ban on the tortoiseshell trade; Japan imported an estimated 2 million turtles between 1950 and 1992. Despite the fact that the international trade of their shells is now illegal, there is still a thriving black market. Other threats include destruction of nesting and feeding habitat, pollution, boat strikes, coastal development, entanglement in fishing gear, and destructive fishing practices like dynamite fishing. Dynamite fishing uses explosives to stun or kill fish, usually on reefs, for easy collection. The practice also causes extensive damage to coral reefs and harms other animals that may be nearby. Although illegal, this destructive type of fishing is still widespread in Southeast Asia, the Aegean Sea, El Salvador, and