Turning Turtle

Sea turtles have existed for more than 100 million years — much longer than humans — yet in the space of a few hundred years, we have brought them to the brink of extinction.

Long hunted for their beautiful gold and brown patterned shells — known as “tortoiseshell” and used in jewellery and ornaments — the hawksbill turtle is the most endangered of all sea turtle species. There may be as few as 8 000 hawksbill turtles, spread over five populations, left in the world. Source: onekindplanet.org.