Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
The Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a sea turtle found in coral reefs and tropical coastlines, listed Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
- Common name
- Hawksbill Sea Turtle
- Scientific name
- Eretmochelys imbricata
- Conservation status (IUCN Red List)
- Critically Endangered
- Habitat
- Coral reefs & tropical coastlines
- Edition
- TT-02: Slow & Steady
The reef's quiet bodyguard. Recently discovered to be the first known biofluorescent reptile: they glow neon green and red under UV light.
It is Turtle Tuesday edition TT-02, “Slow & Steady”, drawn by hand and free to download.
This drawing is one of the 26 in Color the Shell, the Turtle Tuesday turtle coloring book: the same line art in black and white, with one true fact per turtle.
The reef’s quiet bodyguard. While everything else on the reef is flashy, the hawksbill eats the toxic sponges that would smother it all. No fanfare. No credit. Just showing up and keeping the whole ecosystem alive.
Amber, gold, and burnt orange scutes, prized for combs and jewelry for centuries until the tortoiseshell trade was banned internationally in 1977. Still critically endangered. Recently discovered to be the first known biofluorescent reptile: they glow neon green and red under UV light.
The Shell That Nearly Ended Them
For over 2,000 years, hawksbill shells have been one of the most coveted luxury materials on Earth: Roman trade, Japanese bekko jewelry, colonial Caribbean shipments, all for the beauty of ‘tortoiseshell.’
For centuries its shell was the raw material for tortoiseshell combs and jewelry. In 1977, CITES banned the international trade, and reef and beach protections have followed.
In 2015, David Gruber’s team discovered hawksbills are biofluorescent, the first reptile documented with this ability, glowing neon green and red under UV light. Scientists still don’t know why.
Hawksbills remain critically endangered, but reef conservation, beach protections and trade-ban enforcement are giving them a fighting chance.
Key Moments
- Ancient Rome: Tortoiseshell traded as a luxury material across the Mediterranean
- 1700s to 1800s: Colonial-era harvest intensifies in the Caribbean
- 1977: CITES bans international trade in hawksbill products
- 1996: IUCN lists hawksbill as Critically Endangered
- 2015: Gruber’s team discovers hawksbills glow under UV light
Fun Facts
- Sponge Specialist: Eats toxic sponges that would smother coral reefs
- Biofluorescent: First reptile discovered to glow under UV light
- Shingled Shell: Its shell plates overlap like roof shingles, the source of its Latin name, imbricata
- Hawk Beak: Named for its narrow, pointed beak, built for reef crevices
- Nests Solo: Unlike ridleys, it nests alone, often tucked under the beach vegetation
On the Red List
- Each year about 500 to 1,000 hawksbill nests are laid on Mona Island, Puerto Rico, one of the species’ biggest nesting sites in the US, NOAA Fisheries reports.
Mini FAQ
What’s 'tortoiseshell’ actually made of?
Hawksbill scutes, patterned uniquely on each turtle like a fingerprint.
Why do they glow?
Nobody’s sure yet. Biofluorescence was only discovered in hawksbills in 2015.
What happens to reefs without them?
Sponges expand unchecked and smother coral; hawksbills are among the few animals that eat them.
Is anyone protecting them?
Yes. The 1977 CITES ban made the shell trade illegal worldwide, and beach and reef protections across the Caribbean, Southeast Asia and the Pacific guard their nests and feeding grounds.
Art by Lee Eisenbarth, CC BY 4.0: how to use this art.
Sources: IUCN Red List, Wikipedia.