Hawksbill Turtle

The animal featured on the cover of Learning the Korn Shell is the hawksbill turtle. The name "hawksbill" refers to its prominent hooked beak. This marine reptile is one of the smaller sea turtles, having a carapace (upper shell) length of about two feet and weighing about one hundred pounds. Among pelagic turtles, the hawksbill alone has the tendency to feed and breed in the same area, preferring the tropical shoals and reefs of the world's oceans.

Primarily carnivorous, the hawksbill feeds on crabs, fish, sponges, and jellyfish. The turtle's flesh can be poisonous; in some places fishermen test for poison by throwing the turtle's liver to the crows. If the birds reject the liver, the hawksbill is toxic.

The hawksbill turtle is the sole source of authentic "tortoiseshell" which comes from the scutes, or outer layer of the carapace. Tortoiseshell has been harvested through the years -- from ancient Egypt to the present -- and is highly valued for its beauty and plasticity. As a result, the hawksbill is endangered. Illegal trade continues to threaten this species' existence.

researched and written by Michael Kalantarian