Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Photo: Mark S Thornberry · CC BY-NC

Sandy Island hosts some of the highest hawksbill encounter rates in Antigua, with multiple individuals often visible simultaneously on a single dive as they forage on the sponges and soft corals surrounding the cay. These turtles are critically endangered globally but show site fidelity to Sandy Island across years, suggesting it provides reliable foraging resources. Juveniles and sub-adults are particularly common in the 5–8 metre range where sponge biomass is highest.