60~80 cm long and can weigh up to 85 kg. The back carapace has a tile appearance, but this characteristic may not be obvious in all adults. The beak of this turtle is shaped like that of a hawk. The hawksbill mainly eats coral reef sponge and mollusks. This turtle is distributed mainly along Taiwan’s east coast waters, southern shoreline, and reef areas.
External characteristics: two pair of prefrontal scales; five plates of central scutes; four pairs of lateral scutes; and two pairs of claws on the forelimbs.