Known as bycatch, this is a serious threat to hawksbill turtles. They are omnivorous, eating mollusks, fish, crustaceans, marine algae, and other sea animals and plants. NOAA Fisheries is working to minimize effects from human activities that are detrimental to the recovery of hawksbill turtle populations in the U.S. and internationally. As far back as the fifth century BC, sea turtles, including the hawksbill, were eaten as delicacies in China. Approximately 42,000 threatened sea turtles are killed around the world each year -- and that's counting only the ones captured legally, according to a new study … Egg exploitation is prevalent in many parts of the world, but it is especially pervasive in Southeast Asia where a culture of eating sea turtle eggs is well-established, with collection often approaching 100%. Sea turtles are important ocean grazers and help maintain the health of coral reefs and sea grass. As of 2015, the Kemp's ridley sea turtle is the most endangered with only around 1,000 nesting females left. They are known as travellers and move long distances from their feeding sites to nesting grounds – nesting on beaches in at least 60 countries. How Many Sea Turtles Are Left? Turtles leave the sea to lay their eggs on the beach. Likewise, its shell has been used to make home decorations or body accessories such as plates, vases, earrings, eyeglass frames, hair clips, among many others. They occupy coral reefs and various other habitats including rocky areas, lagoons, mangrove estuaries, oceanic islands, and shallow coastal zones. The hawksbill sea turtle is primarily found in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. According to the study, sea turtle population declines have likely altered sea ecosystem dynamics. We need you to answer this question! Diet Hawksbill turtles are mainly carnivorous and use their narrow beaks to extract invertebrate prey from crevices on the reef. In some parts of the world, hawksbill sea turtles are eaten as a delicacy. How Many Hawksbill Turtles Are Left in the World? Adult hawksbills reach approximately 70-90cm in length and typically weigh between 45 and 70kg. They will choose a spot, dig a hole, lay their eggs, cover them up and return to the sea leaving their eggs behind. Carapace is elliptical in shape. They are easily identifiable by their unique carapace, the scutes of which overlap. Approximately 42,000 threatened sea turtles are killed around the world each year -- and that's counting only the ones captured legally, according to a new study from … The hawksbill sea turtle is strongly associated with coastlines and warm tropical waters. They are considered endangered, according to National Geographic. Hawksbill Sea Turtle Habitat. They like to feed in shallow shoals which have lots of brown algae. Accurate population data does not exist for loggerheads, hawkbills, flatbacks, olive ridleys, green sea turtles and black sea turtles.