By Annemarie Kramer
Latin name:
Eretmochelys imbricata
Geographic Area:
Atlantic, Indopacific
Weight:
Up to 90 kg (200 lbs)
Size:
Up to 100 cm (3.3 ft)
Distribution:
Found in tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean, where they migrate between nesting and feeding grounds. This species prefers hard sea bottoms and coral reefs where sponges, their main food source, are abundant.
Nesting behavior:
The hawksbill turtle nests every 2 to 3 years and lays an average of 130 eggs. She can nest between 4 and 7 times in one nesting season, laying her eggs at night. The hatchlings emerge after 6 to 8 weeks. The pelagic phase which they spend in the open ocean is probably shorter than in other sea turtle species; already after 1 to 3 years, with a carapace length between 20 and 25 cm (8- 10 inch), or 35 cm (14 inch) in Australia they come back to the shores or islands where they have their feeding grounds.
Food sources:
Young turtles feed on what they find associated with the sargassum seaweed in the ocean, where they spend the first years of their lives. Later they mainly feed on sponges, but also algae, salps and other small animals.
Special remarks:
This species of sea turtles is mainly endangered because of their beautiful carapace, which has been used by man to manufacture souvenirs and commodities for a very long time. Some individuals of that species only migrate very short distances between their nesting and feeding grounds; in any case they always choose the fastest and most direct way to reach their destination.
Literatur:
Lutz, P. L. & J. A. Musick (Hrsg.), 1997. The Biology of Sea Turtles. 432 Seiten. CRC Press. Boca raton, London, New York, Washington, D.C.
Lutz, P. L., J. A. Musick & J. Wyneken (Hrsg.), 2003. The Biology of Sea Turtles. Volume II. 455 Seiten. CRC Press. Boca raton, London, New York, Washington, D.C.
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© Janice Blumenthal
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