Turtle GALLERY
Hawksbill Turtle
Eretmochelys imbriocataThe Hawksbill Turtle is critacally endangered Species.
Thanks to the Marine National Park Waters around the
island, Hawksbill Turtles are a fairly common sight.
You will often times see them feeding on sponges,
even the toxic "Touch-me-not Sponge".
Hawksbill Turtles have a square of four plates
between their eyes and green turtles only have two
plates between their eyes. Another distinguishing
feature is the Hawksbill's shell has serrated edges
on the rear shell plates. In several of the
pictures you can see the turtle's small "thumb
appendage" on the leading edge of their front fin
that helps them from slipping on the rocks while
they are trying to tear at the sponges. They can
weigh as much as 165 lbs. (rarely seen at that size)
ICUN
Status:
Critically Endangered A2bd
ver 3.1
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/8005/0
Pop. trend:
decreasing
GreenTurtle
Chelonia mydas The Green Sea Turtle can grow to 3 times the size of
the Hawksbill. Named for the color of their body's fatty tissue, not the color
of their shell.
They are no longer considered critically endangered as of
2025 by the ICUN becausw numbers are increasing However, there has been a rise
in the viral disease called Fibropapillomatosis (FP), is the also known as Chelonid
FP-Associated Herpesvirus,Chelonid Herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) which triggers debilitating benign tumors on
their skin and organs, though environmental factors (like stresses caused by
human behavior), also play a role in the disease's expression. See the
last photo on the page, taken in 2019 in Rendevous Bay
Status:Least Concerned as of 2025
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/4615/0
Pop. trend:
decreasing
Hawksbill Turtle
Four plates in the square between.
the eyes. Hawksbill Turtle
Serrated edge on shell's rear plates.
Hawksbill Turtle
Green Turtle
Two plates in the square between
the eyes. Green Turtle
Non-Serrated edge
Green Turtle
Hawksbill Turtle
Hawksbill with broken shell
Green Sea Turtle
