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A smaller sea turtle with a narrow pointed beak and beautifully patterned overlapping amber-and-brown shell plates. It is frequently seen on Egyptian Red Sea reefs, where it feeds mainly on sponges and nests from May to July.
This is a protected or non-target species — please don't fish for it. If it's accidentally hooked, release it quickly and unharmed.
Eating & safety
Never buy tortoiseshell products; the hawksbill is critically endangered and fully protected.
Best conditions: Clear reef water where turtles forage on sponges among the corals
The hawksbill's patterned shell was once the source of 'tortoiseshell', driving it to critically endangered status worldwide.