The hawksbill turtle is critically endangered! Some think that its population size has decreased by 80% in the last 100 years. Because its shell is so beautiful, people have been hunting it for thousands of years, using its shell in jewelry and for decorations. Since it’s on the endangered species list, it is now illegal to buy and sell the shell of the hawksbill turtle, but some people still try to sell its shell on the black market. There are many projects to try and protect it; one is the Sea Turtle Restoration Project.