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Beloved Sea Turtle
 Sea
turtles, Chelonia mydas, evolved 180 million years ago.
Long before the fiery birth of the Hawaiian Islands,
even before there was a Pacific Ocean, the green sea
turtle existed on earth. Looking into the teary eyes of
a basking turtle, we are literally looking at a survivor
from before the age of dinosaurs. The island people have
a great reverence for this magnificent creature known in
Hawaiian as Honu. There are many hulas and chants
dedicated to this ancient species. Hawaiian legends
exalt the honu as the mythical mother and protector of
all children, as well as a guide to voyagers.
When Christopher Columbus
sailed through the Caribbean in 1503, he saw so many
green sea turtles that he named three islands Las
Tortugas (The Turtles). He called the turtles the most
valuable reptiles in the world but they were soon
exterminated for their shells and flesh as the western
hemisphere was explored and exploited. Our Hawaii sea
turtles have been more fortunate but still they continue
to be in danger of extinction.
Modern
scientific studies of sea turtles underscore the links
that bind our fate to that of the honu. The Big Island
provides a rare opportunity to see the honu in their
natural habitat. Many turtles haul out onto the beach to
bask, but this leaves them vulnerable to curious
visitors. Please respect the honu and observe this great
ambassador of the seas from a distance.
Turtle enthusiasts are
spreading the word about saving this threatened species
from extinction.
The green turtle is listed as endangered
by the International Union for the Conservation of
Nature. In 1978, the Hawaiian population of the green
turtle was listed as threatened under the U.S.
Endangered Species Act of 1973. It is illegal to
kill or harass them in any way.
Please don't distress or even touch our beloved
turtles! They are an endangered species and the bacteria
transferred to them via our human skin can kill them as
they have no immune system for it. Encounters can disrupt their habits and cause them undue stress.
Stress also weakens their immune system.
A honu rests on the
black sand beach at Punalu'u, basking in the sun. Don't
forget to keep a respectful distance when admiring this
treasured creature. Remember it is illegal to
touch them or harass them in any way, on land or in the
water.
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