The honu at Sea Life Park are the only reproducing colony of green sea turtles in the United States under human care. Over 16,000 green sea turtle hatchlings have been released from their adult population since the 1980’s and starting in the early 2000’s the Park has been providing Dolphin Quest Oahu and The Kahala Hotel & Resort with young honu to raise in our saltwater lagoons until they are ready for release.
TURTLE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM STEPS:
1. Hatch Turtle Eggs
The Turtle Ambassador Program begins at Sea Life Park where the turtles breed, produce eggs, and the eggs are hatched.
2. Care for Young
Afterwards, partnering organizations including Dolphin Quest Oahu and The Kahala Hotel & Resort, take over the daily care and rearing of the young turtles in their lagoons.
3. Educate the Public
During the time the turtles are being reared, guests visiting Dolphin Quest have a unique chance to view and become educated about sea turtles and the latest conservation efforts to assist in their survival.
4. Release Turtles
After the baby turtles reach 100 pounds, they receive a Hawaiian blessing and superstar aloha as they are released into the ocean.
5. Track Turtles
Each turtle receives a permanent microchip, much like a dog or cat. This microchip will allow scientists to identify the turtle during future research and nesting surveys in the northwest Hawaiian Islands.
THE FUTURE OF HAWAIIAN GREEN SEA TURTLES
Protecting these precious creatures throughout their lifetime is important since turtles will not reproduce until they are 20-30 years old. These turtles had a total population of nesting females as low as 150 animals, but since being added to the Endangered Species List in the early 1970’s, the turtle population in Hawaii is thriving and no longer on the endangered species list, but instead have been put on the threatened list.
LEARN ABOUT HAWAIIAN GREEN SEA TURTLES
Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Cheloniidae
Genus: Chelonia
Species: mydas
Quick Facts:
Weight: Adult = 250-400 pounds
Length: Adult = 3-4 feet
Lifespan: Estimated to be 70 years or more
Regions: New England/Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Islands,
Southeast, West Coast
Additional Honu Facts:
The Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle is not named for their shell color appearance, but for the color of their fat and cartilage. They are considered “sea cows” since they graze on red and green algae called limu, seagrass, and invertebrates (such as jellyfish) along coral reefs and rocky shorelines.
The primary threats the Hawaiian Green Sea turtle faces include bycatch in fishing gear, loss and degradation of nesting habitat, vessel strikes, ocean pollution/marine debris, and climate change.