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Marine Reptiles

Sea turtles. One of the most delightful experiences a diver can have swimming with turtles, and in Indonesia such encounters are quite common. Six species of marine turtles are found in Indonesian waters, but the two most likely to be seen by divers are the tiawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata and the green turtle Chelonia mydas).

They are not always easy to distinguish underwater, althoug the hawksbill has a distinct beak and the trailing edge of its shell is jagged. The hawksbill is also generally smaller, and is tortoiseshell brown (instead of olive green) although such relatively minor color difference are very hard to determine underwater. A third species that may be seen by divers is the loggerhead (Caretta caretta), which is much like the green turtle, except it has a massive head.

The green turtle feeds almost entirely on sea grass, while the hawksbill and loggerhead are both largely carnivorous. The shell of the hawksbill is covered with large horn-like scales, the source of "tortoiseshell." Tortois shell products—and even stuffed and varnished hawksbill turtles—are offered in Indonesian markets, although import into most Western countries is strictly prohibited.