Boat Strike Honu

 Saturday, 9/10/2022

We got a call from a beach-goer that there was a turtle out of the water at Kaloko-Honokohau Historical Park that had a large wound/gash on the top of its carapace.  Laura Jim and Marc Rice drove down to the Park and met with the woman who guided us to the turtle.  It was "basking" under the Naupaka plants to the north of the Canoe Hale.  After conferring with the NOAA veterinarians, it was decided that the turtle needed to be sent to MOC for further evaluation and treatment.  With the help of Kyle (KAHO park ranger) we were able to put the turtle into a box and move it to our vehicle.  

Ke Kai Ola (Marine Mammal Care center) at NELHA was willing to keep the poor turtle over the weekend for us as we couldn't get a flight to Maui until Monday.  The KKO Veterinarian accepted the honu and it was cared for until Monday morning when Marc Rice picked it up, put it in an animal carrier and transported it to the airport for a flight to Maui and the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute.   

This turtle was first seen at Mauna Lani 10 years ago…

Left Hind Pit Tag: 4413322617

09/05/12: Mauna Lani  SCL: 46.9 cm CCL: 50.0 cm Mass: 13.6 kg

03/13/13L Mauna Lani SCL:47.4  cm CCL: 50.5 cm Mass: 13.6 kg

09/28/16: Kaloko SCL: 51.9 cm CCL: 56.0 cm Mass: 20.4 kg

04/3/18: Kaloko SCL: 54.6 cm CCL: 59.0 cm Mass: 21.3 kg

09/10/22: Kaloko CCL : 62.5 cm, Mass: 27 kg -  STRANDED AT KAHO and picked up by HPA.

   UPDATE:  The MOC Marine Institute received the honu on Monday and gave it treatment but after two days the turtle passed.  The injuries from the boat strike had penetrated the abdominal cavity and when that happens it is often deadly.  We thank the MOCMI for doing their best for the little honu.

Images of stranded honu:

Ke Kai Ola marine mammal care center.

Injured honu basking.

Injury to the Carapace of the honu.

KKO veterinarian coated the wounded area with antiseptic cream.

Fishing Line Recycling Program

 9/4/2022

HPA Continues its support of fishing line recycling on Hawaii Island

Laura Jim, Co-director STRP and Leader of the HPA Marine Studies Program, has been active with the community and HPA students  to put out fishing line recycling collection tubes at several places on the leeward coast.  

According to Ms Jim, "On September 5,2022 our team installed three more fishing line recycling bins in South Kohala with the support of Hawaii County Parks. These bins are now located at Mahukona Pier (north), Mahukona South (near pavilion) and Kapaa and will be serviced by Wendy Noritake, a friend and collaborator of the program."

Below are some pictures of the installation.

Thomas Jim helping to position recycling tube at Kapaa Park.

Marc Rice and Thomas Jim position and attach the recycling tube at Mahukona North.

Attaching the recycling tube at Kapaa Park.

Kapaa park recycling tube.

Laura Jim stands by the Mahukona south recycling tube.

Surprise and appreciation of the presence of the recycling tube.

Marc Rice and Thomas Jim attach the recycling tube at Mahukona south.

Sea Turtle Rescue- Olive Ridley Turtle Caught in Ghost Net is Set Free

  August, 2022

A former HPA student (Class of '03) was fishing offshore in Hawaii and came across a derelict net that had totally entrapped an Olive Ridley turtle.  Through their caring actions they were able to release the poor turtle from the net and it swam away quickly, apparently unharmed.

Thanks to the folks who took the time to save this turtle... It most certainly never would have escaped on its own.  This example shows how devastating ghost nets and other marine debris can be to marine life.  

MAUNA LANI TURTLE INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION

 July 3 and 4, 2022

Turtle Independence Day Celebration

Laura Jim and Marc Rice along with 5 HPA student volunteers traveled to the Mauna Lani Auberge Resort on Sunday, 7/3/22 to weigh and measure the 6 - 3 year old honu that were to be released on July 4th into the waters of Mauna Lani Bay.  There was a nice group of hotel guests and visitors that joined us while we did the measurements and health assessments.  They had lots of questions about the turtles, HPA and we did our best to involve the many children that were there in the whole process.  

It took about two hours to complete all of the work on the honu after which we conducted a question and answer session for anyone interested in attending.  There were only a half-dozen folks there but it was a fun discussion anyhow.

July 4th, 2022

The work began at about 0700 h on the 4th as we set up our information booth and display.  The focus of the day was honu entanglement and the various threats that still confront them.  Four of Sunday's HPA student volunteers joined us again on Monday to help answer questions at the booth and hand out brochures and other information.  

The festivities surrounding the honu release began around 0900 and, at least for us, culminated when our three environmental heros (Phyllis Kanekuni, Wendy Noritake and Cindy Punihaole) helped to release one the honu named Keala’akau.

The crowd of people witnessing the release was much smaller that past years but was of a size that allowed everyone to view the releases which was really nice.  

Below is a short video of the events on the two days:

Sea Turtles of Hawaii and Beyond

 June 17, 2022

As part of the Hawaii State Library's summer reading challenge, Marc Rice presented a virtual talk about the sea turtles of Hawaii and beyond.  The idea was to explain the uniqueness of the Hawaiian honu and honu 'ea populations in Hawaii and then show three other turtle populations that are in other parts of the Pacific Ocean.  While honu and honu 'ea are distinctly a Hawaiian population, the northern and southern Pacific loggerhead turtles span the entire north and south Pacific Ocean from east to west and the honu 'ea or hawksbill populations in the south Pacific are critically endangered as are the Hawaiian hawksbill turtles.

The plan is to show that we are in one big ocean and many of the sea turtles utilize nearly all of it in the sub-tropical and tropical areas.  

WHAT WE DO TO THE ENVIRONMENT ANYWHERE AFFECTS US ALL EVERYWHERE!

You can watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_l9M-0zTXo

World Ocean Day

 June 4, 2022

World Ocean Day at Kawaihae Surf Park

Early Saturday morning, Laura Jim Picked up Charlotte and Savanah and headed to Kawaihae Surf Park to take part in the Kawaihae World Ocean and Reef Day clean up and educational activies Day.  As part of the days activities, HPA hosted a "booth" about sea turtle strandings and injuries resulting from fishing line and hood entanglements.

Other groups were at the event to talk to people about their programs and projects.  Ala kahakai trails group, Unexploaded ordinance recovery program, Coral reef recovery program and Keep Puako Beautiful were all there to share their concerns and solutions to environmental problems.

In addition to hosting the "booth" Laura, Savanah and Charlotte spent about 1.5 hours snorkeling in the waters right off of the surf park and they collected approximately 8 pounds of fishing line, lead sinkers, cans, pieces of plastic and other assorted debris.  Their effort were very much appreciated and helped to make the waters off of the park safer for the marine critters that live there.

The booths and demonstrations of the groups presenting at the Kawaihae Surf Park World Ocean Day.

Charlotte and Savanah listening to opening remarks and blessing.

HPA's presentation about sea turtle strandings and the problem with fishing line entanglement.

Savanah and Charlotte exiting the water at the Kawaihae surf park stairs.

Savanah and Charlotte with their marine debris haul.

Laura, Charlotte and Savanah retrieved about 8 lbs of fishing line, cans, plastics, etc.

Juvenile Hawksbill Dead at Hilton Lagoon

 5/11/2022

A call came in from the Hilton Beach concession group that a guest had reported a dead turtle in the lagoon area of the Hilton Waikoloa Hotel.  Chad, working at the Beach Hut, was able to retrieve the turtle and Marc Rice drove down to pick it up.  The turtle turned out to be a juvenile hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) measuring 34 cm curved carapace length.  It had severe wounds in the throat area but we don't know if this occurred pre or post mortem.  

My suspicion is that this is the work of a monk seal (once again) and that the injuries caused the death of this hawksbill.

Below are pictures of the little turtle.  It is very sad to lose a critically endangered hawksbill turtle like this.

Pictures of the turtle and the wound are shown below;