Important Information about the Honu

Did you know the Hawaiian green sea turtle...

• is called “honu” in the Hawaiian language.
  
  
• is a threatened species and is protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Hawaii state law.
  
  
• has a shell that can grow up to 40” long. Its body can weigh up to 400 lbs.
  
  
• is estimated to live up to 60 - 70 years old.
  
  
• can swim in short bursts of up to 20 mph.
  
  
• feeds primarily on seaweed (“limu” in Hawaiian) and sea grass as an adult.
  
  
• doesn’t have teeth, but does have serrated jaws that can inflict a serious bite.
  
  
• has excellent underwater vision and can see colors. On land they are nearsighted due to the shape of their lenses which are adapted to seeing underwater.
  
  
• has no external ears. It can hear low-frequency sounds underwater as a result of vibrations through its skull and eventually to its inner ear. Sound can also be conducted through its shell and backbone, allowing the turtle to sense vibrations on land.
  
  
• gets its name from the greenish color of its internal body fat.
  
  
• has an outer shell layer made up of thin plates of keratin (the same material that your fingernail is made out of). Underneath this layer are bones, cartilage and tissue which give the shell its strength.
  
  
• is mainly preyed upon by large tiger sharks.
  
  
• becomes sexually mature at 25-35 years old.
  
  
• when mature, can be distinguished as being either a male or female by the size of its tail. A mature male will have a much longer and thicker tail than a mature female.
  
  
• will return to nest and reproduce in the same general area where it was born. The Hawaiian green sea turtles at Laniakea, like all green sea turtles here in the Main Hawaiian Islands, were born 500 miles NW of Laniakea beach in the Northwestern Hawaiian islands on the beaches of the French Frigate Shoals. This is where the honu migrate to mate and lay their eggs.
  
  

Here at Laniakea Beach...

• 20 basking green turtles have been harmlessly identified using Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags in their hind flippers for research purposes similar to the PIT tags used by veterinarians for cats and dogs. The turtles are numbered L-1 through L-20 and some have been given personalized names by local residents. (i.e., L-1 is called “Brutus”)
  
  
• periodically scientisits place satellite tags and time-depth recorders (TDR) on the shells of the turtles. The satellite tags will enable scientists to track the turtles’ travel away from Laniakea beach, possibly to nesting sites in the French Frigate Shoals. These devices will also provide insight into possible exposure to potential hazards at sea and along coastlines. The TDRs will provide information about how deep the turtles dive (possibly greater than100 meters!) along their individual routes of travel.
  
  
• the turtles can be found year round, feeding on the limu and basking ashore when the surf is not high.
  
  
• scientists believe that the honu likely come for the abundance of natural food and the safety of the cove.
  
  
• most of the turtles are at least 20 years old.
  
  
• the turtles have been basking ashore since 1999.
  
  
• the turtles usually come onto the beach in the afternoon hours.

Show turtles aloha...

• State and Federal laws prohibit harassment of sea turtles.
  
  
• Observe sea turtles from a distance.
  
  
• Do not touch, feed, harass or tease sea turtles.