A hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) swimming in Chagos
Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Islands within the Chagos archipelago are a regular nesting ground for the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). Sea turtles are some of the oldest inhabitants of this planet and are found in all the world’s oceans except for the polar regions. Hawksbills grow to about 1 metre in length and are characterised by their overlapping scutes (the plates of their shell) and bird-like beak. Due to the isolated nature of the Chagos, the hawksbill turtle is easily able to migrate to the islands to lay its 60-200 eggs with more chance of success.
Hawsbills are well protected around the globe and are listed on Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), meaning that trade of the species is banned. However, despite this there is still a black market for its particularly beautiful shell and it is listed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered. This demand, along with the effects of bycatch, habitat degradation and the problem of ingesting plastic bags mistaken for its favoured food of jellyfish, mean the worldwide population has declined by over 80% in the last century.
Red-Footed Booby (Sula sula)
Red-Footed Booby (Sula sula)
The red-footed is the smallest of the booby family, with a fully developed wing span of around 4 ½ ft. However, this doesn’t stop this fish-eating bird from flying long distances before dive bombing into the sea with its streamlined body to swallow its prey whole.
Although they spend their winters at sea, red-footed boobies can be found nesting on the Chagos atolls during the summer months, as well as other locations in their subtropical Atlantic and Pacific ranges. These birds take on a variety of colour morphs, both between their life stages and individuals, but all can be characterised by bright red feet. They make up for a low reproductive rate (laying just one egg) by living for more than 20 years, provided they can avoid their main threats of habitat loss and depleted prey stocks due to overfishing.
The silky shark Carcharhinus falciformis (c) Hilton/Greenpeace
Silky Shark (Carcharhinus falciformis)
The silky shark has a cosmopolitan distribution and can be found around the world in tropical waters. It is most often found near the edges of continental shelves, from the surface to a depth of 50 m. It can grow to a length of 2.5 m (8.2 ft) and has a metallic bronze-gray colour on its upper body.
It is a mobile predator that feeds on bony fishes and cephalopods, and aggregations of silky sharks are often found trailing schools of tuna. As a consequence it is one of the most common shark species caught as bycatch in tuna longline and purse seine fisheries operating throughout its range. This species is hunted for its fins, with much of the product being sold at the Hong Kong shark fin market.
Data now suggest that silky shark numbers are declining in many areas, and the IUCN assessed the global silky shark population as being Near Threatened.
