🐢 Hawksbill Sea Turtles in Punta Cana: The Reef's Sponge Specialists

Few moments on a dive stop a group like a sea turtle does. On the reefs off Punta Cana, the turtle you are most likely to meet is the hawksbill: a medium-sized turtle with a beautifully patterned shell and a narrow, hooked beak, usually found with its head buried in a sponge. It is calm, it is busy eating, and if you keep your distance it will often let you watch for minutes at a time.

It is also one of the most threatened animals in the Caribbean. Centuries of hunting for its shell, the "tortoiseshell" of old combs and jewelry, pushed the hawksbill to the edge, and the IUCN lists it as Critically Endangered. Every hawksbill on a Dominican reef is worth a little extra care.

Quick Facts

• Name: hawksbill sea turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata
• Size: adults are about 60–90 cm (2–3 ft) in shell length and usually weigh 45–70 kg (100–150 lb)
• Lifespan: not known for certain; estimated at 50 years or more, with females maturing at around 20 to 35 years
• Diet: in the Caribbean mainly sponges, plus algae, soft corals, tunicates, jellyfish and other invertebrates
• Habitat: coral reefs, rocky bottoms and mangrove bays, mostly in shallow water
• Range: tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, including the whole Caribbean
• Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN); listed on CITES Appendix I, which bans international trade in its shell

How to Recognize a Hawksbill

The head is the giveaway. A hawksbill has a long, narrow head that tapers to a pointed, slightly hooked beak, the "hawk bill" that lets it reach into cracks in the reef. The shell is mottled amber, orange, brown and black, and its plates (scutes) overlap like roof tiles, which is where the scientific name imbricata ("overlapping") comes from. Look at the back edge of the shell too: on a hawksbill it is jagged, almost saw-toothed.

The only turtle you are likely to confuse it with in the Dominican Republic is the green turtle (Chelonia mydas). A green turtle has a short, rounded, blunt head that looks almost friendly, a smooth shell whose plates sit edge to edge instead of overlapping, and a smooth rear margin. Close up, a hawksbill has two pairs of scales between the eyes and a green turtle only one. Habit helps as well: adult green turtles graze seagrass and algae, so you tend to see them over sand and grass beds, while hawksbills stay on the reef among the sponges and corals.

Behavior: A Turtle That Eats Glass

Most animals leave sponges alone. Many reef sponges are reinforced with tiny glass-like spicules of silica and loaded with chemical defenses, yet in the Caribbean the hawksbill makes them the bulk of its diet. Watching one feed is a treat: it works around a sponge methodically, tearing off mouthfuls with its beak, often trailed by small fish picking up the scraps.

Because sponges compete with corals for space, scientists think hawksbill grazing helps keep some fast-growing sponges in check. If you want to know more about the animals on its menu, our guide to reef sponges in Punta Cana covers the barrel, tube and vase sponges you will see on every dive.

Hawksbills are mostly solitary. They surface to breathe, then return to feed or rest, sometimes wedged under a ledge. Females migrate back to nesting beaches every few years and lay several nests in a season, each with roughly 130 to 160 eggs. As in all sea turtles, sand temperature decides the sex of the hatchlings: warmer nests produce more females. In the Dominican Republic, surveys have found the most important hawksbill nesting beaches on Saona Island, inside Parque Nacional del Este, where illegal egg collection is still a threat.

Where to See Hawksbills in Punta Cana

Our best local site for turtles is Park Reef, a calm, clear reef at about 12 m (40 ft), a short boat ride from our Cabeza de Toro base. It is also good for lobster and squid, and it is a friendly depth for new divers. Hawksbills turn up on our other local reefs too, but less often, so treat any sighting as a bonus rather than a promise.

Scan the reef for a shell-shaped outline next to a large sponge, or for a turtle resting under an overhang. Snorkelers sometimes see hawksbills on shallow reefs as well, usually when the turtle comes up to breathe.

You can find the hawksbill on our species guide, next to the other animals our guides meet most often.

Tips for Divers and Snorkelers

• Never touch, ride or chase a turtle. Sea turtles are protected in the Dominican Republic, and stress makes them burn the oxygen they need.
• Never block the way to the surface. A turtle heading up needs to breathe. Stay beside or below it, never above.
• Approach slowly and at the turtle's level, then stop and let it decide how close to come. A feeding hawksbill often ignores calm divers completely.
• Good buoyancy matters: turtles feed on the reef, so fins and hands off the bottom protect their food as well as the coral.
• Snorkeling? Choose a reef-safe sunscreen or cover up with a rash guard.
• Do not buy "carey". Jewelry, combs and souvenirs made from hawksbill shell are still sometimes offered to tourists, and buying them keeps the trade alive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are hawksbill turtles dangerous?

No. Hawksbills are not aggressive and show little interest in divers. Like any wild animal they can bite if grabbed, which is one more reason not to touch them.

How can I tell a hawksbill from a green turtle?

Look at the head and the shell. A hawksbill has a narrow, pointed beak and overlapping shell plates with a jagged rear edge; a green turtle has a short, rounded head and a smooth shell with plates that sit edge to edge.

Why are hawksbills Critically Endangered?

Mainly because of the long trade in their shell, together with the taking of eggs and meat, accidental capture in fishing gear, and the loss of nesting beaches and healthy reefs. Recovery is slow because females take decades to mature. NOAA Fisheries has a good summary of the species.

How can I help sea turtles in the Dominican Republic?

Dive and snorkel respectfully, never buy turtle products, and support local conservation work. Our post on sea turtle conservation in the Dominican Republic explains what is being done and how visitors can help.

Want to meet one in person? Join us for a two-tank reef dive in Punta Cana and, when conditions allow, we will head for the reefs where hawksbills like to feed.