Hawksbill turtle

Photo: Mark S Thornberry · CC BY-NC

Recognised by its narrow, pointed beak and richly patterned carapace, the hawksbill feeds primarily on sponges, acting as a keystone species by preventing sponges from overgrowing and smothering coral structure. Frigate Bay's complex coral with numerous crevices provides ideal hawksbill foraging habitat. Critically endangered due to the historical shell trade and ongoing egg poaching in parts of its range. Their presence in numbers at Frigate Bay reflects both the reef's structural complexity and the protection afforded by Saint Kitts and Nevis's marine park designation.