Eretmochelys imbricata - The hawksbill turtle has a light weight hydrodynamical shell and large paddle-shaped forelimbs, ideal adaptions for a specialized aquatic life. They are found in tropical oceans, preferring areas with coral reefs. A hawksbill is easily recognizable by the distinctive beak, the source of the animal’s name. It is in danger of extinction resulting from low reproductive rates and because the shell of the hawksbill is used by humans as decorative or fashionable accessories.
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The Maldives has the distinction of being the smallest Asian nation in size and population. With an average ground level of elevation of 1.5 meters, it is also the world’s lowest country. A 2004 earthquake centered off Indonesia’s island of Sumatra sent a tsunami towards the Maldives causing devastating to the social and economic infrastructure of the islands. Several nations: Fiji, Kiribati, the Maldives, Micronesia, Palau, and Tonga head the list of island nations facing the crisis of rising sea levels.
