A Turtle-y Tubular Ride to Shore

Honu season is in full swing and our partners at Hawaii Wildlife Discovery Center (also known as Hawaii Wildlife Fund) have been patiently caring for and watching over all turtle nesting and hatchlings on Maui. As of August 25, there is a grand total of 14 green sea turtle nests! 10 of those nests have not yet been excavated and the team will closely monitor them over the next few months. KaiAloha Supply recently donated customized hats for their leadership team. We continue to proudly support their initiatives towards environment and animal safety. 

“A huge MAHALO to KaiAloha for sponsoring these Turtle Team shirts and hats – we love them and are so appreciative of their continued support,” nesting project volunteer coordinator Tara Branham said.

The rate at which a hatchling survives to adulthood is thought to be very low, possibly 1 in 1,000 to 10,000 hatchlings. This isn’t surprising considering the state of their environment. In an effort to continue the preservation of this species, Hawaii Wildlife Fund’s assists during the hatchling process, allowing for many more hatchlings to make it to the ocean. Volunteers, also known as Dawn Patrollers, have the opportunity to campout during the day and/or overnight to look for nesting and hatching activity. Executive director Hannah Bernard oversees all 13 zones (that cannot be named during active nesting season at this time), and is spearheading the decision-making and communication about the timeline for the excavation.

A volunteer helping release a green sea turtle hatchling under state and federal permits. Hawaii Wildlife Fund works to protect their nests while they incubate and as they run to the ocean. (Photo courtesy of Hannah Bernard) 

There's usually no more than 6 volunteers per 2 hour shift. Dawn Patrollers are encouraged to bring sun protection, a comfy chair, water, snacks, anything else for a day on the beach. Overnight watchers are encouraged to bring warm, dark colored clothing, sleeping bag, phone, flashlight, water, snacks, and whatever else needed for a beach campout. (Photo courtesy of Hannah Bernard) 

Hatchlings crawl into the oceans on their own. Sometimes they flip on their side, which is when a respective volunteer carefully assists in getting them back on the right track. HWF volunteers also take a bucket of water to splash a pathway for turtles to get into the ocean. (Photo courtesy of Hannah Bernard)

For Dawn Patrol inquiries, volunteer interest, training/protocol/procedure/waiver completion, reach out to Tara at mauihonu@wildhawaii.org to find more ways you can get involved!