In order to bring awareness to the thousands of Endangered Species on our planet, Endangered Species Day is celebrated on May 21. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) states that there are over 37,400 species threatened with extinction. Sea turtle species fall under the categories of Data Deficient, Vulnerable, Endangered, and Critically Endangered. While all of the world’s sea turtle species are considered to have declining populations, hawksbills, leatherbacks, and Kemp’s ridleys are critically endangered, meaning they are facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. While hawksbills do not nest in Florida, they can be found passing through our waters and therefore occasionally become patients at The Sea Turtle Hospital at LMC.
Caption: The IUCN is an international organization dedicated to the conservation of nature. Based on population data, the species studied are placed into one of these categories.
Why are Hawksbill Sea Turtles Critically Endangered?
All sea turtle species are facing extinction due to different reasons. Hawksbills, named for their hawk-like beak, face extinction because of the harvest of their carapace and scutes. Hawksbills are known for their unique, beautiful, plastic-like scutes, which have been turned into jewelry, hair accessories, and other decorative items otherwise known as “tortoise shell” accessories. These beautiful turtles were hunted to near extinction during the 19th and 20th centuries when their harvest was legal and unregulated. According to National Geographic, nearly 9 million hawksbills were killed for their shells during this time. While initial hawksbill harvests began with large adults, fishermen eventually began to harvest subadult and juvenile hawksbills as well, causing further damage to their populations.
Caption: The individual plates on a sea turtle’s carapace are called scutes. These scutes are what were used to create tortoiseshell accessories.
Hawksbill Sea Turtles Importance and Protections
All species of sea turtles are important to their respective ecosystems for unique reasons. Hawksbills are known for their diet that primarily consists of sponges and helps keep the sponges’ growth in check. Without hawksbill sea turtles on reefs to graze on sponges, they could quickly grow and out-compete the corals living there. Because of this, hawksbills are necessary to maintain the health of coral reefs.
Hawksbill Sea Turtles Importance and Protections
All species of sea turtles are important to their respective ecosystems for unique reasons. Hawksbills are known for their diet that primarily consists of sponges and helps keep the sponges’ growth in check. Without hawksbill sea turtles on reefs to graze on sponges, they could quickly grow and out-compete the corals living there. Because of this, hawksbills are necessary to maintain the health of coral reefs.
Caption: While sponges are toxic to many creatures, hawkbills are unaffected by this toxin. Their bodies the toxins and therefore their meat is toxic to humans.
Because of severe population declines, there are protections from local ordinances, to federal legislation to ensure these beautiful sea turtles do not continue to face rapid population decline. Two pieces of legislation that are specifically important to the hawksbill are The Endangered Species Act (ESA) and The Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). In 1977, CITES began to ban the commercial trade of hawksbill carapaces and accessories made from their scutes. CITES is an international convention that 182 countries, as well as the European Union, have agreed to uphold. Hawksbills are listed under the highest level of protection provided by CITES. The Endangered Species Act is an example of federal legislation used to protect endangered species. It was enacted in 1973 and according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it “aims to provide a framework to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species and their habitats.”
Caption: Combs were a popular item made out of tortoiseshell. Although the material is referred to as tortoiseshell these items are actually crafted from hawksbill sea turtle scutes.
Threats to Hawksbills Today
Although the harvest and trade of hawksbill sea turtles have been banned since 1977, they still face significant illegal capture and many other threats including habitat degradation due to coastal development. National Geographic states that only about 25,000 nesting females remain, and the continued loss of habitat and nesting areas due to commercial coastal development continue to threaten their populations.
Hawksbills at Loggerhead Marinelife Center
Because hawksbill sea turtles do not nest on beaches in Florida, but only pass through our waters, they are not common patients here at LMC. In fact, of the 113 patients we received in 2020, only 5 were hawksbills. So far in 2021, LMC has had 2 hawksbill patients, one that arrived in 2020 and one that arrived earlier this year.
Heidi is an adult hawksbill patient that arrived at Loggerhead Marinelife Center on March 4, 2021. She was found by biologists at Florida Power and Light’s St. Lucie site. She had suffered shark bite wounds to all 4 of her flippers and, upon arrival at LMC, underwent surgery for a partial amputation of one of her back flippers. Since arriving at LMC, Heidi continues to be monitored by hospital staff and her prognosis is excellent. Want to learn more about Heidi? https://marinelife.org/turtles/heidi/
Caption: Heidi, a former patient, came to LMC due to predation injuries from a shark.
Tater Tot is a juvenile hawksbill that arrived at LMC in November of 2020. Tater Tot was found washed ashore in Palm Beach and weighed less than a pound on arrival. Upon arrival, Tater Tot presented with a buoyancy disorder, neurological dysfunction in their hind flippers, and a partially missing front right flipper. They were also passing feces that contained plastic material. Throughout Tater Tot’s stay at LMC, our veterinarians and rehab staff monitored Tater Tot closely. One of the treatments Tater Tot received was a small weight on the back of their carapace to treat the buoyancy disorder. As Tater Tot progressed, our vets were able to slowly decrease the amount of weight on Tater Tot’s carapace and eventually remove it altogether.
Tater Tot was released on Tuesday, March 6, 2021, offshore into a patch of sargassum.
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Education. LMC’s Education programs aim to empower and inspire individuals to engage in the conservation of the world’s ocean by providing STEM-based knowledge and resources to take responsible action. For in-field, in-classroom, and virtual education experiences, please email Guest Services at [email protected].
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One World. At Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) we strive to be industry leaders in sea turtle and ocean conservation. Our work is focused on four core pillars, each focused on demonstrating measurable impact. Our team researches and rehabilitates sea turtles because sea turtles tell us the health of the ocean, which tells us the health of our planet. These critical indicator species serve as our global ambassadors for ocean conservation. In this blog, we invite you to dive into the depths of ocean conservation and explore our research efforts.
Our educator biologists aim to empower and inspire individuals to engage in the conservation of the world’s oceans and ecosystems by providing STEM-based knowledge and resources to take responsible action. Donate to propel our mission and help save sea turtles.