Occurrence of Hawksbill Turtles, Eretmochelys imbricata (Reptilia: Cheloniidae), near the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico

Abstract

From 1997 to 2001 the occurrence of hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) was characterized at neritic foraging habitats along the Pacific coast of the Baja California Peninsula and in the Gulf of California, Mexico, through in-water capture of live turtles and searches for dead carcasses. We recorded a total of 27 hawksbill turtles: 14 (four live-captured and 10 strandings [dead turtles]) along the Pacific coast of Baja California and 13 (seven live-captured and six strandings) in the Gulf of California. The range of straight carapace lengths for hawksbill turtles from the Pacific and the Gulf of California was 35.4 to 52.5 cm (mean = 42.5 cm) and 34.4 to 74.2 cm (mean = 48.0 cm), respectively. Although hawksbills are uncommon in coastal neritic habitats near Baja California, their continued presence indicates that this region should be included as a focus area for future conservation efforts.