Hawksbill Sea Turtle

The hawksbill is less commonly seen than the green turtle, but encounters tend to be more memorable. Where green turtles graze openly on seagrass beds, hawksbills favour the more complex sections of the reef — working their narrow beaks into crevices and under coral overhangs to extract the sponges and soft corals that make up the bulk of their diet. You’ll find them at depth more often than green turtles, and at sites with more structural complexity.

The pointed, curved beak that gives the hawksbill its name is a highly specialised tool. Sponges are toxic to most marine animals, but hawksbills have evolved to feed on them almost exclusively — an ecological niche that gives them access to a food source with virtually no competition on the reef. It’s also one reason why hawksbill tissue can itself become toxic to humans, which played a role in ending the practice of hunting them for meat.

The shell is what most people notice first. Overlapping scutes in warm amber, brown, and black tones with distinctive patterning — the original source of what we now call tortoiseshell. The trade in hawksbill shells drove populations to the edge of extinction through the 20th century and is the primary reason the species is now listed as Critically Endangered. Despite international trade bans, demand persists in some markets.

Individual turtles can be identified by their unique facial scale patterns — the Koh Tao Turtles Facebook group coordinates sightings and ID records for the island.

Koh Tao is home to a small resident hawksbill population. Sightings are less predictable than green turtles but consistent enough at the right sites that an experienced guide will know where to look. Twins and Southwest Pinnacle are the most reliable spots — particularly on the deeper sections of the reef where the structural complexity suits their feeding style.