scubaseason

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata

Sighting evidence at Sandy Island, Antigua and Barbuda

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Photo: Kevin Bryant · CC BY-NC-SA

Sandy Island hosts some of the highest hawksbill encounter rates in Antigua, with multiple individuals often visible simultaneously on a single dive as they forage on the sponges and soft corals surrounding the cay. These turtles are critically endangered globally but show site fidelity to Sandy Island across years, suggesting it provides reliable foraging resources. Juveniles and sub-adults are particularly common in the 5–8 metre range where sponge biomass is highest.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

Hawksbill Sea Turtle is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.

Also seen at other sites