Distribution and population estimates for the Hawksbill Sea Turtle -Eretmochelys imbricata

• Rookeries:(FAO)
  1. Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico and Panama
  2. Cuba and Caribbean Islands
  3. Belize
  4. Seychelles, British Indian Ocean Territory, Comoro Islands, Aldabra, Amirantes, Providence and La Reuinion
  5. Sri Lanka, Maldives
  6. Torres Straits Islands, Louisiade Archipelago - PNG and the Soloman Islands.
  7. Sabah Turtle Island, Malaysia. (positve increase in population)

  Hawksbills (50?) also reported nesting on Bioke Island, Equatorial Guinea, Central West Africa (email from Jesus Aquirre - 04/07/01)

• Range:(FAO)
  • Most tropical of the sea turtles.
  • Found near reefs.
  • Wide spread nesting patterns with few very large nesting places.
  • Nesting confined to 25 degrees N and 35.5 degrees S.
• Population:
  • According to the Website Turtle Trax, 38 out of 65 population areas are on the decline.
  • Population difficult to assess but under pressure from commercialization for its shell.
  • According to Agardy (BBC Wildlife) 1992 approx:
    • 3,000 females in USA.
    • Less 1,000 females near Seychelles.
    • 3,000 in Pacfic east of Australia.
    • Sabah Turtle Island, Malaysia - positive increase in population after park declared in 1980 (Limpus 1995)

Distribution main page

References used in distribution maps and population estimations. Agardy, T., Last Voyage of the Ancient Mariner p30-37, BBC Wildlife December 1992, Bjorndal, Karen A. (Editor), Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles - (Smithsonian) 1995. (ISBN 1-56098-619-0) The FAO Species , Catalogue Vol.11. Sea Turtles of the World, 1990. (ISBN 92-5-102891-5) Lutz , P. L. and Musick, J. A., The Biology of Sea Turtles - (Marine Science Series )1996. (ISBN 0-8493-8422-2) National Research Council, Decline of the Sea Turtles , 1990. (ISBN 1-900455-005) Proceedings of the 15th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation, 1995. Proceedings of the 18th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation, 1998. Ripples, Jeff Sea Turtles: (World Life Library) 1996. (ISBN 0-309-04247-X