Minky

Minky is a sub-adult female hawksbill turtle first identified by Big Blue’s very own Pitt Pitchayanan, who kindly passed on the naming rights to the family that shared this magical encounter with her. True to her reputation, Pitt described Minky as being “a little greedy” during that first sighting – and it’s not hard to see why! Minky was so determined to reach her next meal that the strong current at Three Trees flipped her completely upside down and over, making for some very entertaining viewing. This unusual moment also gave us a perfect look at her plastron and tail (or lack thereof), which, combined with her size, confirms that Minky is indeed a female hawksbill.

It actually took Andaman Turtle Watch a little while to accurately identify Minky’s unique markings on her lateral scales (the side of her face). That’s because every time she was spotted, her head was buried in coral or under rocks searching for food. She was simply too busy eating to show us her beautiful face!

Since then, Minky has been reported to the Andaman Turtle Watch database a total of 8 times – every single sighting from around Similan Island 9. This strongly suggests that she may be another resident hawksbill calling the reefs on the north coast of the island home. Big Blue is excited to get back into the water in the coming seasons to see if Minky, along with her friends, continues to forage in this ecosystem, and to learn more about the importance of this reef for hawksbill turtles.

Andaman Turtle Watch relies on sightings like these, and we are proud to contribute our encounters to the project. With more divers and snorkelers acting as citizen scientists, more eyes in the water means more data – and ultimately more knowledge to support conservation management strategies here in the Andaman Sea.