Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with global populations demonstrating a decline of more than 80% over the past century (Troëng et al., 2005; Boden, 2008). Hawksbill sea turtles are one of the only vertebrate species that feed exclusively on sponges, relying on tropical coral reefs and their associated biodiversity for foraging grounds and shelter (Meylan, 1988; Eckert & Grobois, 2001).