HAWKSBILL |
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| In Brazil,
this species is also called the "real" or "legitimate" turtle. It is considered
the most beautiful of all the species, because of the patterns and colors
of the scutes of its carapace, which overlap like the tiles of a roof.
Its mouth has a sharp beak, reminiscent of that of a hawk (hence its name). The length of the carapace is usually around 3 feet (1 meter), and individuals weigh about 330 pounds (150 kilos). Hawksbill sea turtles have long been hunted for their shell, which was used to make combs, jewelry, and eyeglass frames. For this reason, it is considered one of the species most threatened with extinction worldwide. Hawksbills eat primarily sponges and coral, although they will also eat fish and crabs. These turtles can be found in the water as juveniles or sub-adults all along the Northeast coast, although their nests are found almost exclusively on beaches in the northern half of Bahia. |
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