Hawksbill Sea Turtle Jewelry

Beginning of a dialog window including tabbed navigation to register an account or sign in to an existing account.

Hawksbill sea turtle jewelry. Their diet consists mainly of sponges that live on coral reefs. Endangered hawksbill sea turtles are illegal to trade internationally but japan s thriving domestic trade is hampering the recovery of the species. The hawksbill sea turtle is a small agile turtle with an oval shaped body. But they have been hunted to the edge of extinction for their colorful shell.

A new study examines the scale of the trade in endangered hawksbill sea turtle shells over the span of nearly 150 years. Photograph by david doubilet nat geo image collection animals wildlife watch. They are known for their beautiful brown shell mottled with dark and light spots and streaks which was once commonly used to make tortoiseshell jewelry. The greatest threat to hawksbill sea turtle is the harvesting for their prized shell often referred to as tortoise shell in some countries the shell is still used to make hair ornaments jewelry and other decorative items.

They help coral reefs thrive by eating sponges and are a thrill for divers and snorkelers to see in the wild. Many thousands were killed and some still are to make tortoise shell combs mirrors jewelry and other items. The reptile has powerful toothless jaws and a raptorlike beak which earned the hawksbill its name. Hawksbill turtles are found throughout the tropical waters of the atlantic pacific and indian oceans.

This beak is perfectly suited for crushing biting and tearing food. Photograph by david doubilet nat geo image. Hawksbill sea turtles are one of the most beautiful and important species in the ocean. But in central america and southeast asia many countries still illegally sell tortoiseshell products that are made from the shell of the endangered hawksbill sea turtle nicaragua is the main offender in central america but there have been reports of hawksbill turtle shell products for sale in tropical countries around the world.

Hawksbill turtles are endangered because of their beautiful shell. The carapace has a tortoiseshell coloration ranging. This practice is illegal but still occurs in some countries. In most countries tortoiseshell is now made from plastic.

Today loss of coral reef habitat around the world is the primary threat to hawksbill turtles. The hawksbill sea turtle is a small to medium sized turtle with shell lengths up to 36 inches.