The hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is considered the species of sea turtle with the greatest anthropogenic overexploitation, with a > 80 % decrease in its world population (^{Meylan and Donelly, 1999}; ^{Mortimer and Donnelly, 2008}; Barrientos et al., 2015; ^{Ramírez-Gallego and Barrientos-Muñoz, 2020}). The hawksbill turtle is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (Mortimer and Donnelly, 2008) and under the same category at the national level in the Red Book of Reptiles of Colombia (Barrientos et al., 2015). In addition, listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) (^{Rhodin et al., 2018}), the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), and the Protocol Relating to Areas and Specially Protected Wild Fauna Flora (SPAW) (Barrientos et al., 2015).

The hawksbill turtle in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) is one of the most threatened regional management units (RMUs) worldwide (^{Wallace et al., 2011}). It was considered almost absent in the region (^{Mortimer and Donelly, 2008}), and Colombia was no exception (^{Gaos et al., 2010}; ^{Trujillo-Arias et al., 2014}). Since 2007, nesting beaches and feeding areas have been reported throughout the EPO (^{Alfaro-Shiqueto et al., 2010}; Gaos et al., 2010, 2012, 2017; ^{Liles et al., 2011}; ^{Quiñones et al., 2011}; ^{Brittain et al., 2012}; ^{Carrión-Cortez et al., 2013}; ^{Chacón-Chaverri et al., 2014}; ^{Heidemeyer et al., 2014}; ^{Tobón-López and Amorocho, 2014}; Barrientos et al., 2015). Less than 700 nesting females are estimated between Mexico and Peru (Gaos et al., 2017).

In the Colombian Pacific, its season and nesting areas are unknown, being sighted exclusively in feeding areas and in juvenile and/or subdult stages (^{Gaos et al., 2010}, ^{Tobón-López and Amorocho, 2014}; ^{Barrientos-Muñoz et al., 2015}). In 2006, during the characterization of the coral formations in the Utria National Natural Park (NNP) cove, juveniles were evident around the Coral de la Aguada, Punta Diego and Playa Blanca patches (Ramírez-Gallego, unpublished data) and occasionally they were caught in fishing nets by the local community of the township of El Valle, Bahía Solano (Barrientos-Muñoz and Ramírez-Gallego, pers. comm.). In the Malpelo Flora and Fauna Sanctuary (FFS), there is sporadic sighting of juveniles, while monitoring sharks, as well as for the Gulf of Tribugá (Fundación Malpelo, pers. comm.). In the Gorgona NNP, 41 individuals were reported between 1982-2007 (Gaos et al., 2010; Tobón-López and Amorocho, 2014). Between 2008-2019, 84 individuals were captured and 38 of these were recaptured. The 100 % are juvenile individuals, associated with the island’s coral reefs where a small resident population is found (Payán and Zorrilla, pers. comm.).

The Conservation Mosaic Bahía Málaga includes the Uramba NNP-Bahía Málaga, the La Sierpe Natural Regional Park (NRP), the La Plata Integrated Management District (IMD), bahía Málaga, collective territories of Afro-Colombian communities and indigenous reservations. The mosaic provides a large number of habitats, being one of the most biodiverse places in the world. Since 2016, participatory and inter-institutional terrestrial and aquatic monitoring has been carried out to identify potential nesting and feeding areas. Likewise, surveys and environmental education projects have been developed to contribute to the current efforts in the mosaic focused on the recovery of the species at the local and regional level and the reduction of its local threats.

On February 24th, 2020, under the “Biological, Ecological and Cultural Assessment project in the coastal marine territory of the area of influence of the La Plata Community Council” in La Sierpe NRP and La Plata IMD, the first female hawksbill turtle was reported for the Colombian Pacific. The female was captured (4.04485 °N-77.26756 °W) using a gill net made of twisted nylon multifilament (18 gauge), 100 m long by 8 m deep and 50 cm mesh size, during standardized aquatic monitoring for the area. Biometric data, tagging, and general examination were recorded and subsequently the hawksbill turtle was released with members of the community.

The minimum curved carapace length (CCLmin) was 90 cm, the curved carapace length nuchal-tip (CCLn-t) was 90.5 cm and the curved carapace width (CCW) was 73.6 cm, taken with a tape measure (± 0.1 cm). The weight was 69 kg, recorded with a mechanical weight scale (0.01 kg). Two Inconel metal tag 681C type (National Band & Tag, Newport, KY) were applied to its front flipper with numbering ME761 (right) and ME762 (left), as well as an internal Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tag type DNAchip ISO (AVID Identification Systems, Inc, Norco, CA) on its right front flipper numbered 977200008546271. The external physical condition of the female was checked and 20 barnacles, Chelonibia testudinaria, were removed: 13 from the shell, three from the head and four from the plastron.

The date of the female finding is consistent with the nesting peak (January and February) for the species in South America (^{Gaos et al., 2017}). The CCLn-t 90.5 cm is above the average (84.6 ± 7.3 cm; n = 691) reported for the region (El Salvador, Nicaragua and Ecuador) (Gaos et al., 2017). On the other hand, female hawksbill turtles in South America seem to show a larger average size. The size of the female is very close to that reported for Machalilla, Ecuador (CCLn-t: 91.2 ± 6.9 cm; n = 158), coinciding with the closest nesting colony identified.

In addition, due to the presence of juvenile hawksbill turtles in the Conservation Mosaic Bahía Málaga and being the most important area for the species in the Colombian Pacific, it is a priority to continue systematic monitoring in-water and identify and monitor potential nesting sites, to contribute to the conservation of the species in the region and help fill information gaps for the hawksbill turtle in the Eastern Pacific.