Hawksbill turtles are Critically Endangered partly due to historical and ongoing trade in their distinctive shells, and protecting nesting beaches is a key welfare intervention.
Hawksbill welfare is threatened by both historic and ongoing shell trade and loss of nesting habitat. Individual turtles killed for shells represent acute welfare harm at a population scale that has contributed to Critically Endangered status. Nesting beach protection through monitoring, nest relocation from high-risk sites, and predator control around nests directly improves individual reproductive welfare. Climate-driven sand warming is skewing hatchling sex ratios toward females, which will reduce future reproductive success. Avoiding all tortoiseshell products and supporting nesting beach programs are the most direct welfare interventions.