Diet Composition of Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the Republic of Seychelles

Abstract — Effective conservation of the critically endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the western Indian Ocean is hindered by a lack of basic ecological information about its diet and habitat requirements. This study utilised stomach samples from dead turtles and oesophageal lavage, together with in-water observations of foraging turtles, to identify the relative importance of species contributing to the diet of hawksbill turtles at five localities in the Republic of Seychelles.