Turtles Around Cancun & Isla Mujeres: Informative Guide to Our Favorite Flippered Friends
- Manta Divers Team
- 1 day ago
- 9 min read
If you have ever surfaced from a dive and said, “I saw a turtle!” and your buddy replied, “Cool… which one?” and you have no idea!!! Well, this blog is for you.
Welcome to the wonderful world of sea turtles! If you have ever floated above a reef and spotted one of these graceful creatures, you know just how magical it is. Today, we are diving into the lives of the Hawksbill, Green, and Loggerhead turtles, the local celebrities of the Yucatan Peninsula. Get ready for some turtle facts, a few shell-arious jokes, and science-backed details that will make you the turtle expert among your dive buddies.
Turtles in Cancun - Local Stars: Hawksbill, Green, and Loggerhead Turtles
Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Known for their stunningly patterned shells and beak-like mouths, Hawksbills are the fashionistas of the turtle world. They love munching on sponges and are crucial for keeping coral reefs healthy by controlling sponge populations.
Look for:
A sharp, hawk-like beak
A gorgeous shell pattern and overlapping scutes (the shell plates overlap like shingles)
Often near coral structure, picking and probing the reef
Hawksbill, the reef stylist with a specialized diet
If you only remember one thing about hawksbills, make it this:
Hawksbills are strongly tied to coral reef ecosystems, and in many Caribbean reef systems, they are famous for eating sponges.
What they look like up close
Narrow head with a pointed, beak-like mouth
Strong “tortoiseshell” style patterning on the shell
Overlapping scutes are one of the best field marks for hawksbill identification
Why the hawksbill beak matters.
That sharp mouth is not an accident. Hawksbills use it to reach into cracks and crevices in reef structure. When you see one working the reef, it often looks like it is inspecting the coral like a picky shopper. That is because it is.
What hawksbills eat (and why the reef cares)
Hawksbills are among the few vertebrates known to specialize heavily on sponges in many regions. Sponges can be chemically defended and contain structures that deter many predators. Hawksbills still eat them, which is wild. Sponges compete for space on reefs. In some systems, hawksbill feeding can influence reef community structure. This is not “hawksbills single-handedly save reefs,” but it is real ecology.
Where you tend to find Hawksbills
Hawksbills are typically associated with reef structure. Think coral heads, ledges, and areas with complex habitat. When conditions are calm, you may catch them feeding, pausing, then moving to the next patch like they have a schedule.
Hawksbill behavior you will recognize underwater
Slow, deliberate movement with frequent stops
Nose-down probing near the reef
Often less “cruising” and more “working.”
Fact: According to the NOAA, Hawksbill turtles are critically endangered, making sightings even more special.
Classic paper (Meylan, “Spongivory in Hawksbill Turtles: A Diet of Glass
A few Links for Deeper reading
Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas)
If Hawksbills are the fashionistas, Greens are the gentle giants who love a good salad bar. Named for the greenish color of their fat (not their shells!), these turtles feed mostly on seagrasses and algae. They are often spotted cruising calmly through the shallows.
How to tell a green turtle from a hawksbill turtle quickly
Look at the head and mouth:
Hawksbill: more beak-like, sharper profile
Green: rounder, smoother head and less pointed mouth
Green sea turtle, the seagrass landscaper
Green turtles are often the easiest to fall in love with because they glide smoothly, feel peaceful, and sometimes let you watch them feed.
Green sea turtle look for:
Rounder head, smoother profile (not pointy like hawksbill)
Often grazing algae or cruising over feeding areas
Big, calm, unbothered vibe
First myth to clear up
They are not green because of their shell. They can look brownish or olive underwater. The name has historical roots, but for divers, the key is the head shape and behavior.
What green turtles eat
In many regions, green turtles shift toward a mostly herbivorous diet as they mature, grazing seagrass and algae. When you see a turtle calmly taking repeated bites, it is often a green turtle.
Why their grazing can matter
Healthy grazing pressure can shape seagrass bed structure, productivity, and nutrient dynamics. Seagrass meadows are important habitats for many species, and green turtles are one piece of that system.
Where do you tend to see green turtles in our area
You can see greens on reefs as well, but they are strongly associated with feeding behavior. If you see a turtle that seems calm and focused, not rushing, it is often in feeding mode.
Turtle joke break. Green turtle: “Please stop kicking the reef. Respect the salad bar.”
Green turtle conservation update
According to Sea Turtle Conservancy, Greens are listed as endangered, but conservation efforts are helping their numbers slowly recover.
At the IUCN World Conservation Congress in October 2025, IUCN reported that the global green sea turtle population is rebounding thanks to decades of conservation, and that its global status had improved to Least Concern. That is good news, but it does not mean every region is safe. Subpopulations can still be threatened.
IUCN 2025 update mentions:
https://iucn.org/press-release/202510/arctic-seals-threatened-climate-change-birds-decline-globally-iucn-red-listStatus
context (IUCN MTSG, includes subpopulations): https://www.iucn-mtsg.org/statuses
Research on grazing and seagrass dynamics (example study):
A green turtle health topic you may hear about:
fibropapillomatosis (FP)FP is a tumoral disease documented in sea turtles, often discussed in greens. Research is ongoing about drivers and patterns.
Review article (Fibropapillomatosis overview):
Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta carette)
The sturdy Loggerhead is like the tough cousin of the turtle family. With powerful jaws and a robust build, Loggerheads are known for chomping on hard-shelled prey like crabs and mollusks. They are the strong, silent type of the turtle world. According to the IUCN Red List, Loggerheads are classified as vulnerable.
How to ID a loggerhead fast
Large head relative to body
Thick neck and strong jaw profile
Less pointy face than a hawksbill
Loggerhead life strategy, in simple terms
They are roamers. Many loggerhead populations involve long migrations and long lifespans. Their survival depends on the health of multiple habitats across large geographic areas, from beaches to open ocean to feeding grounds. Loggerhead, the crunch specialist with the big head, looks like they were designed by an engineer who said, “More jaw power.”
A noticeably large head and powerful jaw
Built like a tank, confident cruising
Often associated with hunting and hard-shelled prey
What loggerheads eat
Loggerheads commonly feed on hard-shelled prey like crabs and mollusks, depending on the region. Their jaw strength is an adaptation for crushing.
IUCN Red List account for loggerhead: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/3897/119333622/
Loggerheads and nesting protection in Mexico
Mexico has formal sea turtle conservation and enforcement programs. That matters because nesting beaches and egg protection are major levers for population recovery.
The State of the World’s Sea Turtles (loggerhead overview): https://www.seaturtlestatus.org/loggerhead-turtle
Mexico government resources:
CONANP turtle conservation program info:
PROFEPA sea turtle protection overview:
https://www.gob.mx/profepa/es/articulos/proteccion-de-las-tortugas-marinas-en-mexico-321399?idiom=es
Loggerhead conservation status
Globally listed as Vulnerable (IUCN), with different subpopulation statuses.
IUCN Red List (global): https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/3897/119333622/
IUCN MTSG subpopulation list: https://www.iucn-mtsg.org/statuses
While our local trio gets most of the spotlight, let us give a nod to a couple of their distant relatives.
Take the Leatherback Turtle, for example, the largest of all sea turtles and a champion traveler that can dive to incredible depths.
Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea)
The largest sea turtle and the only one without a hard shell.
NOAA species profile: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/leatherback-turtle
Or the Kemp’s Ridley, the smallest and one of the rarest sea turtles, famous for its synchronized, daylight nesting known as "arribada." They might not call the Yucatan home, but they are still part of the global turtle family tree.
Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)
The smallest sea turtle species is strongly tied to the Gulf of Mexico region.
NOAA species profile: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/kemps-ridley-turtle
Turtle Humor Break!
Why did the turtle cross the reef? To get to the shell station!
What do you get when you cross a turtle with a giraffe? A turtleneck!
Okay, okay, we will keep the dad jokes to a minimum, but we could not resist a few.
The Science Behind the Shells
If you are curious about the deeper scientific side of turtles, there is plenty to explore, and it is honestly some of the coolest biology in the ocean.
Temperature decides the hatchlings’ sex
Sea turtles do not have sex determined the way most people assume. The sex of many sea turtle hatchlings is influenced by the temperature of the sand during incubation, a process called temperature-dependent sex determination. Warmer sand tends to produce more females, cooler sand more males, and extreme heat can reduce hatching success. NOAA has a clear explainer on this and why it matters as beaches warm over time: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/temperature-dependent.html
Turtles are built for long-distance travel
Sea turtles are not “local residents” in the way reef fish are. Many populations migrate across huge distances between feeding grounds and nesting beaches, sometimes crossing multiple countries and ocean regions. That is why conservation needs to work at many levels, not just one beach or one park. Here is a strong research example on hawksbill movements and ecology:
They navigate using Earth’s magnetic field
One of the wildest findings in sea turtle science is that turtles can use Earth’s magnetic field to help orient and return to key regions. It is not “a GPS,” but it is a real sensory ability that researchers have demonstrated and refined over time. If you want a solid overview from a science-forward conservation org, start here:
Their role in ecosystems is bigger than most people realize
Hawksbills influence reef communities through their sponge-focused diet, and green turtles can shape seagrass systems through grazing pressure. These are not just “cute animals.” They are part of how coastal ecosystems function.
Hawksbill sponge feeding classic paper (Meylan): https://www.jstor.org/stable/1700236
Green turtle grazing effects (Moran and Bjorndal): https://accstr.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/98/Moran__Bjorndal_MarBiol_2007.pdf
How to be turtle-friendly, the rules that actually matter:
Sea turtles face multiple threats, among them fisheries bycatch, along with habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. The good news is that human behavior changes can help, and tourism can be part of conservation when done right.
Here are turtle-friendly snorkeling and diving rules that matter immediately:
Do not touch, ride, chase, or block a turtle
Give space and let the turtle choose the distance
Control buoyancy so you do not contact the reef, seagrass, or stir up sand
No harassment for photos
On beaches, reduce artificial light and avoid flash so hatchlings are not disoriented
IUCN global assessment summary (marine turtles, threats, and urgency):
NOAA marine life viewing guidelines:
National Park Service on sea turtles and artificial light:
Last thing to fit in your shell
When you spot a hawksbill working the reef, you are watching a specialist feeding strategy tied to reef ecology.
When you see a green turtle grazing, you are watching a species that can shape seagrass ecosystems over time.
When a loggerhead cruises past like a living submarine, you are seeing a predator built to crunch, balance, and roam.
So dive slowly. Float well. Keep your distance.
Where you might see turtles with Manta Divers
Turtles are wild animals so that no one can promise sightings every time. That said, turtles are commonly encountered on reef and snorkel routes around Cancun and Isla Mujeres, especially when conditions are calm and groups move slowly. Now that you are armed with turtle trivia, why not meet these amazing creatures in person? If you are ready to snorkel or dive with us, start here:
Snorkeling options:
Beginner scuba programs:
Certified diver options:
A classic shallow route that pairs art and reef:
Get certified (PADI Open Water):
Turtle spotting tip from The Manta Team
If you want to maximize turtle odds, choose calm days, keep movements slow, and treat the reef like a library, not a nightclub.
Closing: You are not just seeing turtles, you are seeing a whole story
When you spot a hawksbill working the reef, you are watching a specialist feeding strategy tied to reef ecology.
When you see a green turtle grazing, you are watching a species that can shape seagrass ecosystems over time.
When a loggerhead cruises past like a living submarine, you are seeing a predator built to crunch, balance, and roam.
And the coolest part is this: every turtle you see is a reminder that conservation can work, but only if people keep doing it.
Shell yeah. Thanks for reading,
The Manta Team
Sources and further reading (external)
IUCN press release on green turtle status improvement (2025): https://iucn.org/press-release/202510/arctic-seals-threatened-climate-change-birds-decline-globally-iucn-red-list
IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group status list (updated): https://www.iucn-mtsg.org/statuses
IUCN Loggerhead listing: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/3897/119333622/
NOAA: Temperature-dependent sex determination: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/temperature-dependent.html
Meylan: Spongivory in Hawksbill Turtles: A Diet of Glass (JSTOR): https://www.jstor.org/stable/1700236
Troëng et al. (hawksbill migration and ecology context PDF): https://conserveturtles.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Troeng_et_al_2005Ecography.pdf
Moran and Bjorndal (green turtle grazing impacts PDF): https://accstr.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/98/Moran__Bjorndal_MarBiol_2007.pdf
Review of fibropapillomatosis: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090023315004529
NOAA marine life viewing guidelines: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/marine-life-viewing-guidelines/guidelines-and-distances
NPS on sea turtles and artificial light: https://www.nps.gov/drto/learn/nature/seaturtleslight.htm
CONANP marine park Cancun and Isla Mujeres: https://www.gob.mx/conanp/documentos/costa-occidental-de-isla-mujeres-punta-cancun-y-punta-nizuc
CONANP national sea turtle conservation program (Spanish): https://www.gob.mx/conanp/documentos/programa-nacional-de-conservacion-de-tortugas-marinas?idiom=es
PROFEPA sea turtle protection overview (Spanish): https://www.gob.mx/profepa/es/articulos/proteccion-de-las-tortugas-marinas-en-mexico-321399?idiom=es