Hawksbill Sea Turtle Monitoring & Conservation

Since 1998, sea turtles in Cayos Cochinos have been studied under the management of the Honduras Coral Reef Fund (HCRF) as part of a Research and Conservation Program. The focus has been on hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), the only species recorded nesting in the area. These medium-sized turtles have distinctive features such as a hawk-like beak and thick shell shields. They nest primarily on Cayo Menor, followed by Cayo Mayor and the coral cays. Hawksbill turtles lay multiple clutches of around 150 eggs, with an average interval of 17 days, and do not return to nest for several years. Their diet consists mainly of organisms associated with coral reefs, with sponges being a common food source. These turtles mature slowly, taking between 20 to 40 years to reach sexual maturity.

As a volunteer researcher, you can assist in monitoring activities on the beaches and islands, including night and day patrols. The protocol involves recording turtle data, such as morphometric characteristics, nesting behavior, and biophysical characteristics of nesting beaches. You will also learn how to perform tagging using steel tags assigned by the WIDECAST Sea Turtle Tagging Program. Additionally, under controlled conditions and supervision, you can participate in egg handling activities in an incubation pen, recording parameters like temperature and humidity, monitoring the hatching process, and documenting hatchling morphometrics and mortality data.