Meet the critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle

 Saving the Hawksbill Turtle

Hi! This is Animalgirl again here to show you the Hawksbill turtle. I love these turtles. They need our help, so they won't disappear forever.

It is called a Hawksbill turtles because it's beak is like a hawk's. Do you know what else?

• Their favorite food is sponges, so eating the sponges helps protect the reef.
• Their shell is smooth and flat. It's streamlined so the water flows across their shell making it easier for them to swim.
• The front flippers power the swim and the back ones are short for steering.
• Like other turtles, Hawksbills need to come up for air.
• They are reef turtles because the reef feeds and shelters them from tiger sharks.
• The predator of the hawksbill is the Tiger shark. 
• To defend itself, the Hawksbill leans on its side so the shark bites its shell and not it. 

These amazing turtles are super endangered because fishermen catch them in their nets and the turtles drown when they can't get air to breathe. This is called bycatch. It is also because of their beautiful orange, green, brown, or yellow shells. People poach them to use their tortoise shells for jewelry and furniture. Their meat is also used for soup. 

Some people think this is cool, but I think it's cruel.

Worldwildlife.org

Sea Turtle Conservancy 

Note: All photos courtesy of Freeimages.com