Turtles

Christmas Island’s waters are a habitat for threatened green and hawksbill turtles.

Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) can grow to more than a metre long and live for 80 years. They feed mostly on seagrasses and algae.

Hawksbill turtles (Eretochelys imbricata) can be easily recognised by their curved, parrot-like beaks, which they use to probe coral reefs for sponges and other soft-bodied animals. They are critically endangered around the world.

Sea turtles are migratory, sometimes travelling thousands of kilometres between feeding and nesting grounds. But the females always return to the same beach to lay their eggs, and our own Dolly Beach and Greta Beach are important nesting areas for green turtles.

Read more about turtle-watching on Christmas Island.