Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge
Pacific Region
 

Other Wildlife of Keālia Pond

Hawksbill Turtle / Eretmochelys imbricata / Honu ‘ea

Photo of Hawksbill turtle

Description

The honu ‘ea is one of the smaller sea turtles and takes its species name (imbricata) from the overlapping plates on its upper shell and its common name from the shape of its hooked jaw. The carapace (top shell) of an adult ranges from 25 to 35 inches (63 to 90 cm) in length and has a "tortoiseshell" coloring, ranging from dark to golden brown, with streaks of orange, red, and/or black. The shells of hatchlings are 1-2 inches (about 42 mm) long and are mostly brown and somewhat heart-shaped. The plastron (bottom shell) is clear yellow.

Hawksbill turtle - Photo credit George Balazs/NMFS

Habitat

Honu ‘ea use different habitats at different stages of their life cycle, but are typically found around coastal reefs, rocky areas, estuaries and lagoons.

Feeding Habits

The hawksbill's narrow head and jaws shaped like a beak allow it to get food from crevices in coral reefs. They eat sponges, anemones, squid and shrimp.

Breeding

At night, mature females (20 to 50 years old) crawl ashore and excavate pits above the high-tide line, in which they lay their eggs. In 7 to 12 weeks the eggs hatch and the tiny hatchlings make their way to the surface and out to sea.

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Last updated: March 7, 2011