Hawksbill turtle  (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Global numbers are very difficult to estimate but it appears that this turtle has suffered drastic decline, probably by as much as 80 percent over the last century (1) (8). Major threats to survival come from illegal trade in the turtle's prized shell, known as tortoiseshell, which has been sought for jewellery and ornaments for centuries. There is also a substantial market for eggs, meat and even stuffed juveniles as exotic gifts in some parts of the world (11). Additional pressure on the global population comes from harvests to support traditional customs, the loss of nesting sites, accidental entanglement in fishing lines and the deterioration of coral reef systems which act as feeding sites for these turtles (12).

International trade in the hawksbill turtle is banned amongst signatory nations by its listing on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) (3), but extensive illegal trafficking still occurs between CITES signatories and among other nations. Preventing this black market trade is the key to saving this species and TRAFFIC (the wildlife trade monitoring arm of WWF and IUCN-World Conservation Union) is involved in monitoring and highlighting this problem (13). In 1988, the government of the Seychelles took a very public stand against tortoiseshell trade by burning a stockpile of seized shells (4), in a manner reminiscent of burning ivory pyres in Kenya. Action to save the world's turtles is being taken by many international bodies and recent increases in hawksbill nesting populations have been observed at a few well-protected sites (10). With successful monitoring of populations and a decrease in illegal trade, the hawksbill may respond well to long-term protection.