Hickatee: The Critically Endangered Turtle

Dermatemys mawii, the Hickatee, a Central American river turtle is an aquatic turtle that spends its entire life in or on water, even sleeping, and yet staying afloat. This fairly large species of tortoise tops out at 25 inches in carapace length and can weigh up to 44 pounds, 50 pounds if the shell or tortoise shell weight is included. Males can be distinguished from females by yellow markings on both sides of the head. They also have a longer, thicker tail.

The female is somewhat smaller, with a shorter tail and a gray head without the matching gold emblem and spotted insignia of the male. The carapace, brown or olive green, is slightly curved; the ventral layer is cream colored.

The female Hickatee only comes out of the water when she has to lay eggs, where up to sixteen eggs are laid under the camouflage of decaying vegetation. This ‘mother’ never looks back, she never checks the balls she has just plain ugly. The eggs that she has just laid incubate on their own.

The coastal lowlands of Belize are the normal home environment for the Hickatee along with the waterways of southern Mexico and northern Guatemala. Clear, deep water is best, and the Hickatees consider Belize’s many lagoons prime residential areas.

When just hatched, a Hickatee will begin life as meat eaters, however as they become adults they switch to a vegetarian diet. The ancient Maya prized turtle meat for both food and religious ceremonies. Turtle meat is still a highly prized delicacy today. Sea turtle eggs are collected in Belize for food.

The Hickatee is a herbivore and its meat is eagerly sought after by the carnivorous man. Hickatee turtle meat is a traditional Easter food in Belize that has helped put this turtle on the critically endangered species list. Furthermore, the Hickatee is easy to catch, lazily floating on the surface of the water unaware that an accurate paddle will knock them out or simply pick them up from a river bed in the dry season.

Despite its endangered status, the Hickatee only has very limited protection in Belize with a one month closed season and no trade in Hickatee meat, a maximum of 3 per person and only five per vehicle are allowed. .

The Hickatee turtle is one of the most exploited turtles in the world, as it has been intensively captured, mainly for its meat, but also for its eggs, shell and even the hatchlings are sold for food. This turtle has been nearly eliminated from much of its former range in southern Mexico.