Diet of hawksbill turtles (<scp><i>Eretmochelys imbricata</i></scp>) in the Gulf of California, Mexico

Abstract Hawksbill turtles ( n = 56) in a foraging ground around Isla San Jose, Gulf of California, Mexico, were caught, measured, and their skin scutes sampled. Tissue samples from putative prey species collected observed hawksbill feeding areas the ground. Measurements each turtle's straight carapace length used to estimate average life stage population. processed for stable carbon nitrogen isotope analysis habits this location. The majority (96.4%) measured individuals' fell size range considered be juveniles. A Bayesian mixing model δ 13 C 15 N values potential indicated that hawksbills consume primarily invertebrates algae, with lesser contributions seagrass mangrove material. There was positive linear relationship between turtle scute samples, an increase five individuals recaptured subsequent years suggested location shift pelagic habitat turtles' post‐hatching, earliest juvenile nearshore area Jose later years.