Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Photo: Jane Kempler & Andrew Goldby Freelance · CC BY-NC-ND

Multiple individuals feed along the terrace and upper wall, methodically selecting sponge species from between the coral while barely acknowledging divers hovering nearby. Their feeding selectivity — targeting specific sponge taxa containing lower concentrations of secondary metabolites — has been documented by researchers working in the protected bay. Punta Perdiz turtles tend to be larger adults, suggesting long-term residency in the protected waters of the bay.