The Hawksbill Sea Turtle is the number 7 endangered species on the top 10 list. Unfortunately, this animal follows a pattern that the other species on the list do as well. Its endangered status is mostly due to human involvement. Hawksbill eggs are still eaten around the world despite the turtle’s international protected status, and they are often killed for their flesh and their stunning shells. These graceful sea turtles are also threatened by accidental capture in fishing nets.
Like other sea turtles, hawksbills make incredible migrations in order to move from feeding sites to nesting grounds, normally on tropical beaches. Mating occurs every two to three years and normally takes place in shallow waters close to the shore. The nesting procedure begins when the turtles leave the sea to choose an area to lay their eggs. A pit is dug in the sand, filled with eggs, and then covered. At this stage the turtles retreat to the sea, leaving the eggs, which will hatch in about 60 days.The most dangerous time of their lives comes when hatchlings make the journey from their nests to the sea. Crabs and flocks of gulls voraciously prey on the young turtles during this short scamper.
They are normally found near reefs rich in the sponges they like to feed on. Hawksbills are omnivorous and will also eat mollusks, marine algae, crustaceans, sea urchins, fish, and jellyfish. Their hard shells protect them from many predators, but they still fall prey to large fish, sharks, crocodiles, octopuses, and most especially humans. The Hawksbill Sea Turtle is not a man-eating killer, or even a threat to society for that matter. So why do we as humans find it necessary to capture and kill these creatures that only add wonder to our planet?
You say that the Hawksbill's endangered status is most likely due to human involvement, but you didn't give any examples of how humans can try to fix the problem. What can we do?
ReplyDeleteI care about endangered species, but give reasons of why Hawksbill turtles are important to us and why we should care about what's happening to them. I also agree with Shereen. What can we do to help? With endangered animals on land, we either put them in a zoo or sanctuary. With ocean animals such as whales, there are people fighting to stop the hunting and fishing for them. What can we do to help the turtles?
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