February, 2002: Hawaiian Honu

Honu is the Hawaiian word for sea turtle; an ancient and ellusive sea reptile. Tourist snorkelers like me see honu only rarely, but they seem to be more plentiful than several years ago. I have been blessed to share the waters with these beautiful and compelling creatures on several recent Hawaiian vacations. All these pix were taken February, 2002 at the City of Refuge, Kealakekua, and Kahuluu, all on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Sea turtles are ancient; they have been swimming the Earth's oceans for over 100 million years, predating some dinosaurs. Hundreds of years ago, there were many millions of sea turtles swimming the Earth's oceans. Today, all seven species of sea turtle are considered either endangered or threatened.

Honu are softspoken unassuming reptiles; they come ashore only rarely. Fertility for the female occurs after age 30, when she swims to the beach of her birth to lay. In Hawaii, the French Frigate Shoals provide birth beach to many turtles, 800 miles northwest of Hawaii. Only a few of the hundreds of eggs layed by the female will survive into maturity.

Nesting is interesting. The female comes ashore in the evening, "crying" tears of salty water to protect her eyes from the sand. She lays as many as 100 eggs in the hole she digs with her flippers, then backfills it with sand. The mating season is once in several years, during which she digs several nests.

Not all eggs hatch, and not all hatchlings make it to freedom in the ocean. They run for their lives over the sand, at the mercy of crabs, people, rats, mongooses. The lucky survivors can reach lengths of more than 3 feet, and weights of 400 pounds as they grow over the first 25 years of their life. They eat sea grasses and algae.

Sea turtles can easily stay under water for hours, but if stressed can drown within minutes.

Honu are important symbols in Hawaiian culture. They are represented and referred to in songs, stories, arts and crafts. Honu are believed to relate to creation, longevity and wisdom.

According to legend, Kauila was a green sea turtle who could transform into a woman. She would keep an eye on children playing at Punalu'u, the Big Island black sand beach made famous in the Chris Issak music video. When Kauila's mother dug her nest, a fresh water spring surged upward, quenching the children's thirst. Kauila came to be regarded as the mother of all turtles.

Hatchlings can be easily confused by modern developments and beach erosion so they run away from the ocean and into danger.

Many ocean hazards exist on the reefs of Hawaii. Some island residents hunt for turtle meat. Honu can be trapped by fishing nets and shrimp trawls. They are run into by boats and PWC's. They can eat and die from plastic bags, beer and soda holders, and other garbage. Oil slicks threaten them.

Recently though, a tragic disease has beset the Honu: Fibropapillomatosis. It's like a virus, causing fibrous tumors and warts, and was first observed in Hawaii in 1958. It's not a new disease, and is not unique to the Hawaiian sea turtle. Over the past 20 years, as many as 90% of the honu in certain areas have been affected.

Fibropapillomatosis causes long term suffering before the final death. It's an ugly disease with horrible symptoms, also affecting sea turtles in the Caribbean.

While not conclusive, studies indicate direct connections between pollution, temperature changes, solar radiation, and the disease. Many people believe the sea turtle status mirrors the health of our planet and the struggle for their survival is related to how we live on our world.

When in Hawaii you can view Honu at many beaches, if you are lucky. Please do not disturb them in any way, just enjoy from a distance. Many snorkel cruises also travel to known Honu habitats, so called "turtle towns." It's one of the highlights of my trips to share the ocean with such calm, beautiful and ancient critters. This past February I met Honu the first day in the ocean after landing in Kona, and the last day off the Kihei coast at Kamaole III state beach just before takeoff in Kahului. It was a perfect hello goodbye, or as they say in Hawaii, "aloha."

Here's a few links to learn more about the honu:

CU Out There,

DogMan