Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Photo: Kevin Bryant · CC BY-NC-SA

Hawksbill turtles are regular residents of North Rock, feeding on the abundant sponge community that grows across the coral heads and returning to rest in overhangs and beneath coral formations. Bermuda represents one of the northernmost year-round hawksbill populations in the Atlantic, sustained by the Gulf Stream's moderating influence on water temperature and the island's commitment to protection since the 1970s. Individual turtles can be recognised by their facial scutes and are tracked by the Bermuda Turtle Project, with some individuals resighted over decades.