HAWKSBILL TURTLE

The CITES conference 2013 has been going on in Thailand this past few week where the candidates from different countries gathered together to discuss the issue of whether or not endangered species should be protected. Some find its important to keep these species, while others disagree most likely because whether or not they protect these endangered species, it would not affect their lifestyles in anyway.

Ertmochelys Imbricata, or well known as the Hawksbill Sea Turtle is one of the species that is considered as endangered. They are found in warm sea water and undergoes long distance migrations despite their environment condition. They stand out from other sea turtles with their sharp and curving beak and their saw-like shell. Hawksbills are usually found near coral reefs at feed on sea sponges (high toxic). It takes around 20-40 years to mature therefore its growing and reproductive rate is considered as very gradual.

According to scientists, the hawksbill population has declined for over 80% during the last century.

Hawksbill Turtle is the only species that exists from its genus; Ertnochelys, today and they are considered as a critically endangered animal that has to be conserved due to human impacts. Human, illegally, captures Hawksbill turtles to make jewelry and hunt for their eggs, meats and shells. Despite the pollutions by man, and climate change triggers and destroys their habitat. Hawksbills are very vulnerable to the coral reefs. Once that habitat are being affected from various factors, Hawksbills are also affected by it making them currently the world’s most endanger marine ecosystems.

As for the WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society), they plan to save the hawksbill and other sea turtle species around the world by focusing on the protection of their habitats and their community since it is almost impossible to maintain or reduce the amount of pollution made without people’s will. With the hand from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), they declared that it is illegal to import or export turtle products, or to kill, harass or hunt for any sea turtles, especially for the hawksbills sea turtle. 

B U T T E R F L I E S ☀

In this week’s three-days weekend, up in the mountain at Khaoyai, there are many different and weird looking insects comparing it to Bangkok, however the organism that seems to attract me most are butterflies. There are plentiful butterflies here but how come all of them with different wings colour even though they fly in the same group; some are red, some are yellow and some are even transparent. One is mainly due to the thickness of their wings. According to my research, butterfly’s wings are covered with thousands of tiny scales that split into two to three layers.

When different light intensity hits the different layers of butterfly wings, different wavelength of visible lights are reflected intensely either in one specific colour spectrum or the combination of spectrums which creates variety of species of butterfly.

Butterfly wings are also capable of communication or camouflage to hide from their predators despite the optical effects we see (rather than a pigment), which allow us to see a particular colour when reacting with light. Butterfly colour also exaplins its evolution and development as well. If someone touches their wings, you might rub off some of the colour on their wings because they are are really delicate and in small scales.

Their wings also need to be at specific range of temperature, or else they will not be able to fly. Since butterflies are cold-blooded, the need the warmth from the sun to enable them to fly.