Ivory Shell
Today, it is rare to see the light flash off a Hawksbill turtle shell. Many people go looking, but Hawksbills are seldom found. The Hawksbill Sea Turtle, an animal that “has a shell as lovely as ivory” (Spotila 113), is listed as an endangered animal.
Hawksbills are not very common. “Hawksbill turtles are found throughout the tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans” (“Hawksbill Sea Turtles A”). They usually live in coral reefs by themselves. The Hawksbill is important because it is one of the few creatures that can eat sponges. Since there aren't many sponge-eaters, the sponges are a great food supply. Without Hawksbills, coral reefs would die because of the sponges. Hawksbill turtles live in areas all around the world.
The Hawksbill is easy to differentiate from other sea turtles. First, they have a beak that is unique. It curves down into a sharp point. The beak is like a hawk’s bill, hence the name Hawksbill. Second, the Hawksbill has a distinctive shell. It can be many colors, like brown, black, yellow, red, gold, and white. It can look like amber and marble. Third, the scutes on the shell are imbricate, which means they overlap. That is why the species is called imbricata. The Hawksbill is distinct from other sea turtles and is easy to recognize.…show more content… One of its main food sources is the sea sponge. The sponge has toxins that are poisonous to most animals. The Hawksbills flesh absorbs the toxins and the it eats the sponge. Many sponges hide in hard to reach crevices in between coral. The Hawksbill’s beak helps it reach into the cracks. This sea turtle is an omnivore, so it also eats small fish, sea grasses, sea urchins, and barnacles. During the first couple years of its life, the Hawksbill drifts around the surface in patches of seaweed, eating any small creature it comes across. In different stages of life, Hawksbills’ diets