Berhampur: Rushikulya rookery,the nesting centre of rare sea turtle Olive ridley has a another rare sea turtle `Hawksbill`for the first time.Only one such turtle noticed at the nesting site of the rookery,what delighted the forest officials and environmentalists.The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a critically endangered sea turtle elonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus Eretmochelys.The species has a global distribution that is largely limited to tropical and subtropical marine and estuary ecosystems.The appearance of the hawksbill is similar to that of other marine turtles. In general, it has a flattened body shape, a protective carapace, and flipper-like limbs, adapted for swimming in the open ocean. E. imbricata is easily distinguished from other sea turtles by its sharp, curving beak with prominent tomium, and the saw-like appearance of its shell margins. Hawksbill shells slightly change colors, depending on water temperature. While this turtle lives part of its life in the open ocean, it spends more time in shallow lagoons and coral reefs,said the foresrt officials.
