Time is Running Out for the Hawksbill Turtle

Man’s continued reign over the animal kingdom has led to quite a few ecological disasters
along the way, with some species like the thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, being driven outright into extinction. Unfortunately, this trend shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Despite the best efforts of conservationists everywhere, the Hawksbill turtle has already become critically endangered, which means that there are all but a few thousand remaining specimens in the world.

How did we get here? Well, it appears that the usual suspects are all in play:

1. Illegal Wildlife Trade

The Hawksbill turtle is especially prized for its shell, which can be turned into various jewelry items and ornaments. Additionally, its eggs and meat are considered veritable delicacies among connoisseurs, and there is even a substantial market for stuffed juvenile turtles. In these circumstances, it’s no wonder that the number of Hawksbill turtles keeps dwindling, with official estimates indicating an 80 percent reduction in total population over the last three generations.

2. Habitat Deterioration and Disruption

Like many animal species, the Hawksbill turtle depends on its natural habitat in order to survive and perpetuate. The coral reef systems that act as natural feeding sites for these turtles have been hit particularly hard by pollution and unlawful harvesting, leading to the starvation of many turtles. If you’d like to witness these wondrous creatures up close, places like Layang Layang Island where the coral system is still mostly untouched offer many diving opportunities that revolve around seeing Hawksbill turtles in their natural environment.

3. Climate Change

As the elephant in the room when it comes to most environmental problems, climate change is also the root cause of many issues afflicting the present-day Hawksbill turtle population. With average temperatures continuing to increase on a global level, ocean levels will rise accordingly, leading to an increase in storm frequency. This, in turn, leads to the erosion of beaches where Hawksbill turtles lay their eggs. What’s more, even a slight increase in sand temperature can lead to massive population imbalances, since the gender of the turtle hatchlings is determined by incubation temperature.

What is Being Done?

Needless to say, when faced with such dangers, our only hope lies in taking swift and decisive action on multiple fronts. The World Wildlife Fund has several strategies in place devoted to the protection of marine turtles. These include monitoring the migration patterns of various individuals and taking steps to protect traditional nesting sites through sustained volunteer work. Since the species is listed as Critically Endangered by CITES, anyone involved in the traffic of Hawksbill turtles is liable to be put behind bars. It is believed that by creating new sites where the Hawksbill turtle can thrive as well as by furthering all attempts to stem the tide of illegal trade we can set a sustainable long-term protection strategy in place for these beautiful creatures.

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