Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Photo: Kevin Bryant · CC BY-NC-SA

Hawksbill turtles are frequent visitors to Bharatpur Reef, drawn by the dense sponge and soft coral growth that constitutes the bulk of their diet in their adult years. Their narrow pointed beaks allow them to reach into reef crevices to extract sponges that would otherwise be inaccessible, and a single individual may cover several kilometres of reef per day while foraging. The Andaman Islands represent an important Indian Ocean stronghold for hawksbill nesting and foraging populations.