Hawksbill turtle

Photo: Melvin Opolka · CC BY-NC

Hawksbill turtles are year-round residents at Kisite Reef, using their narrow pointed beaks to extract sponges and soft corals from crevices across the plateau. They are among the most important predators of toxic sponges on Indo-Pacific reefs, preventing sponges from overgrowing the corals that divers come to see. Kisite's protection from fishing nets has allowed a small resident population to persist and nest on nearby Kisite Island beaches.