Marine turtle species that you may find around Bonaire:

Common: Hawksbill - Karet - Eretmochelys imbricata

« Head Hawksbill

Characteristics of the Hawksbill turtle:
• beak-like face
• overlapping scutes
• serrated edge of carapace
• yellow underside

Common: Green turtle - Turtuga Blanku - Chelonia mydas

« Head Green turtle

Characteristics of the Green turtle:
• round face
• tightly joined scutes
• smooth edge of carapace
• white underside

Occasional: Loggerhead - Kawama - Caretta caretta

     « Head Loggerhead

Characteristics of the Loggerhead turtle:
• massive head
• reddish-brown color
• only adults are usually seen around Bonaire

Rare: Leatherback - Driekiel - Dermochelys coriacea

     « Leatherback turtle

Characteristics of the Leatherback turtle:
• very large
• keeled carapace
• black and white body
• open water only

Rare: Olive Ridley - Warana - Lepidochelys olivacea

Characteristics of the Olive Ridley turtle:
• smallest sea turtle (max. length 70 cm - 28 inch)
• over 6 lateral scutes
• light gray color

Hatchlings

Small hatchling sea turtles sometimes look very different from adults. Photo below shows three hatchling species, clockwise: hawksbill, green and leatherback turtle.

     «Hatchlings three species