Why is it important to save the Hawksbill Turtle? The turtles clip the tops off fronds, encouraging plants to spread laterally, allowing sunlight to penetrate better and leaving room for fish, shellfish and crustaceans, including many commercially important species, to shelter and reproduce. The hawksbill’s beautiful, translucent shell is unfortunately one of its greatest liabilities. Hopefully, we will be able to enjoy the natural exquisite beauty of the Hawksbill Sea Turtle for a long time. Hawksbill turtles are currently classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN (the global authority on the status of the natural world). Malaysia is home to important habitats for marine turtles such as nesting beaches for the laying of eggs and coral reefs and seagrass beds as their feeding grounds. Most notably, the graceful and gorgeous Hawksbill Sea Turtle is a rapidly disappearing species. They are especially important to coral reefs. The physical structure and chemical composition of sea sponges prevent most sea creatures from eating them. During 1979 to 1992 only 11 nests were reported statewide, and of these, 10 were in South Florida (Meylan et al. Be aware of the importance of Hawksbills and other sea turtles, and tell people around you about the threats sea turtles are facing and ways to protect them. My chart represents the levels of extinction, the Hawksbill Sea Turtle is critically endangered. If sea turtles become extinct, both the marine and beach ecosystems will weaken. Protection of Sea Turtles by Jamaican Law. The Future Of Hawksbill Sea Turtles. Bonaire is the home to three of the world’s six endangered or critically endangered species of marine turtles: the hawksbill… Protecting the coral reef is also protecting the sea turtle. Nesting. The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae.It is the only extant species in the genus Eretmochelys.The species has a worldwide distribution, with Atlantic and Indo-Pacific subspecies—E. If these are left unchecked they can threaten the survival of corals. The Florida Hawksbill Project is the only long-term study of hawksbill turtles in this part of their range. The green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eremochelys imbricata) and the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles have very significant traditional importance through spiritual, ceremonial and also medicinal values. Surveys for this species are difficult because of the similarities with loggerhead crawls and hatchlings, and because the nesting season for the They do occasionally fall prey to sharks, crocodiles, and octopuses, but their biggest threat is humans still hunting them for their beautiful shell. i. imbricata and E. i. bissa, respectively.. Sea turtles are ancient species, having been around since the time of the dinosaurs — about 110 million years. These reptiles have existed for the last 100 million years. Scientists believe that hawksbill turtles may maintain the health of coral reef systems by grazing on sponges, which if left to grow unchecked, outgrow the corals, cover them up and kill the reef. Hawksbill turtles are found throughout the tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Worldwide, six of the seven sea turtle species are classified as threatened or endangered due to human actions and lifestyles. It is important to preserve these turtles for their appearance and their contributions to the ecology of their habitats. So, Why Are Sea Turtles Important? Apart from that, sea turtles provide an important food source for other organisms, especially in their early life stages. Why are hawksbill sea turtles endangered? When they dislodge pieces from the surface of the coral, this provides access for reef fish to feed. Why Are Sea Turtles Endangered? The sea turtles tend to live in water, but the females come over to lands for nesting. In Jamaica, all species of sea turtle and coral are protected under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1945 and the Endangered Species (Protection, Conservation and Regulation of Trade) Act, 2000. Let us see some of the lead to addition in the names of marine turtles like; green sea turtle ‘endangered’, leatherback turtle ‘endangered’, etc. A Kid’s Guide To: Life on the reef. 4 species have been identified on our beaches by National Environment Planning Agency (NEPA): Hawksbill, Green, Leatherback, and Loggerhead sea turtles. Sea turtles are vital to marine biodiversity. Reasons for the Hawksbill Sea Turtle's extinction range from direct overexploitation to natural causes. Substantive population declines occurred in all ocean basins in the 19th and 20th … They break down the energy of plant materials and convert them into protein. Like so many marine creatures, hawksbill turtles play an important role in maintaining the health of coral reefs. As a highly endangered species and an important member of the coral reef community, understanding and conserving hawksbill turtles in this part of their range is important to the future of both. But hawksbill turtles have beak-like mouths that they use to rip the sponges apart when they eat them. Their appetite for algae also promotes coral growth. hawksbill sea turtle. Hawksbill Sea Turtle Facts. Why is this species important? Christmas Tree Worms The most festive animal on the reef. The beautiful Hawksbill shell is tough and effectively protects them from predators. eFiles Reefs are at risk. Nesting by the hawksbill sea turtle is rare in Florida. Turtles are no different and among the roles they play are as follows: Turtles are important as scavengers, herbivores, carnivores and often contribute significant biomass to the ecosystems. Hawksbill hunters reduced the population by over 80%. Sea turtles, especially hawksbill sea turtles, turtles are also one of the very few species that are able to eat sea sponges. Marine turtles fulfill important roles in marine ecosystems Hawksbill turtles also feed on invertebrates, with a predilection for sponges. All sea turtles are endangered. The sea turtles have an in-built navigation device that helps them find their way around in waters. Introduction. Hawksbill turtles are found throughout the tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The hawksbill's appearance is similar to that of other marine turtles. The trouble is sea turtle populations are shrinking. Loggerheads have the widest variety in their diet of any sea turtle. Hawksbill sea turtles like to dine on marine sponges and soft reef invertebrates. Hawksbill Sea Turtle These turtles play a super important role in keeping reefs healthy. These turtles have been very important links traditionally and culturally for most of the 13 maritime provinces. ... Like many sea turtles, hawksbills are critically endangered due mostly to human impact. Their diet consists mainly of sponges that live on coral reefs. However, they still fall prey to sharks, crocodiles, octopus and the biggest predator of all, humans. They eat sponges, corals, barnacles, sea cucumbers, jellyfish, sand dollars, and many other marine organisms. Hawksbill turtles, for example, support coral reef systems by feeding on sponges. They might not look like voracious killers, but some turtle species are actually important predators that help to keep ocean food chains healthy.