Joel

Joel was first reported to Andaman Turtle Watch by Big Blue’s Sam Hunt in a very special Christmas Day double turtle bonanza at Koh Bon, where Joel was seen interacting with another hawksbill, Christie. Sam fondly named both turtles after his brothers back in the UK.

Since then, Joel has proven to be a rather social turtle! Out of the 7 observations submitted to the Andaman Turtle Watch database (4 by the Big Blue team), Joel has been recorded in social interactions on two occasions – once again with Christie, and once with Tula.

Although Joel carries the name of Sam’s brother, we believe Joel is actually a female sub-adult hawksbill. This assumption is based on the lack of a prominent tail, though we’ll only know for certain once Joel reaches full size. Who knows – perhaps one day she’ll return to nest along the Andaman coast or Similan Islands!

Joel has only been recorded at dive sites around Koh Bon, often seen feeding on coral, bubble coral, and grazing on algae from the rocks. She can be recognised by a small, old injury to her hind left flipper, as well as a distinctive (though temporary) straight line in the red algae down the centre of her carapace. While this marking won’t be a long-term ID feature, it became a helpful way for divers to recognise her during ATW’s first season. We’ll be watching closely to see how Joel’s story develops in the seasons ahead.