The Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Unusual Creatures of Guyana
Kaieteur News
May 6, 2007
The Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is one of the four endangered species of marine turtles that visit Shell Beach in Northwestern Guyana yearly. The Amerindians of the Northwest often call this species the ‘Carey'. In the Carib dialect, this species is sometimes referred to as turtle or ‘Kwasik' while in the Warrau dialect it is ‘Waku'.
The hawksbill turtle is easily identified by its strikingly beautiful carapace (top shell) which is a mosaic of brown, gold, orange and red speckled scutes (plates) that overlap each other like shingles on a roof. The oval carapace is serrated or saw-like in appearance. There are two pairs of scales, called prefrontal scales, between the eyes and two claws on each front flipper. Adult hawksbills grow to 70-95 cm and weigh 60-80 kg. Some of the largest of these species venture into Guyana waters from the Atlantic .
Hawksbills nest in generally low densities throughout the Wider Caribbean. The largest known nesting populations in the Caribbean are in Barbados, Cuba, Panama, Antigua, Venezuela and Puerto Rico, with important nesting sites in Colombia, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Dominican Republic and Guyana.
The species itself has a worldwide distribution, but the Atlantic and Pacific populations are divided into two subspecies. Eretmochelys imbricata imbricata is the subspecies that includes the Atlantic hawksbill turtle populations and the subspecies Eretmochelys imbricata bissa refers to the collective population of hawksbill turtles found in the Pacific Ocean .
Hawksbills nest at night, often on beaches flanked by coral reefs and rocks, and mainly between June and October. Only females come to shore. They breed every two to three years or more, and typically nest four to five times at 14-15 day intervals in every season. A clutch generally consists of about 150 golf ball-sized, white eggs.
People are still intrigued by the nesting population in Guyana , as Guyana has no coral reefs but the shells at Shell Beach provide good insulation for eggs. Nesting for female hawksbill usually occurs between May – July in Guyana .
The female hawksbill carefully selects her nesting site well above the high water mark where the eggs will remain dry for the next eight to nine weeks until they hatch. The asymmetrical track she leaves behind is 70-85 cm across. Hawksbills like to nest amongst vegetation, perhaps because their nests are quite shallow, and vegetation helps to shade the buried eggs from the scorching sun. Unfortunately, shallow nests are also more vulnerable to predators. Hatchlings emerge at night and use natural light to find their way to the sea.
As the name suggests, the hawksbill has a narrow pointed head and a “beak” which is used to pry prey from reef crevices and take clean bites out of marine sponges. They specialize on sponges in the Caribbean Sea , and to a much lesser degree will also eat hydrozoans, crabs, clams, gastropods, tunicates, and plants. Analysis of stomach contents has also turned up sea anemones and assorted invertebrates.
The hawksbill turtle is amongst the most endangered of the six species of sea turtle found in the Wider Caribbean. The beauty of this turtle's shell, and its use in the manufacture of hair combs, jewelry and other ornaments, is the main reason for the heavy exploitation of this species over the years.
For example, Japanese Customs data show that shells from more than a quarter-million hawksbills were imported from the Caribbean from 1971-1989. Japan ended this trade in 1993. Hawksbill turtles face many threats over their long lives such as accidental capture and drowning in fishing nets, loss of feeding grounds due to pollution, seabed destruction and loss of nesting beaches due to coastal development. In Guyana , hawksbill eggs and meat are eaten as delicacies, which have decimated populations during the 1960s to 1980s.
In an attempt to find alternative sources of income to sea turtle harvesting, the Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society (GMTCS) works closely with women from Santa Rosa and Waramuri communities to assist in marketing their ‘Moruca Embroidery' products. The women produce hats, bags, pillow cases and tea towels embroidered with local flora and fauna and especially the four species of sea turtles that nest at Shell Beach .
(Compliments of Michelle Kalamandeen of The Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society)