KAILUA-KONA — Honu are on their way back to the main Hawaiian Islands.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration biologists have been stationed for months in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, marking the endangered green sea turtles, or honu, with numbers.
Now, as the honu migrate back to main island waters, NOAA is requesting the public report locations of turtle sightings and the temporary numbers etched on their shells as a way to contribute to the annual “Honu Count.”
Tracking allows NOAA scientists a better understanding of honu foraging habits, migration and distribution. Last year, so-called “citizen scientists” contributed 70 total reports involving 32 numbered turtles, 23 female and nine male. Adult turtles were seen in foraging habitats on Oahu, Maui and Kauai.
NOAA has provided instructions for inspection and report to its citizen scientists who encounter a turtle with a number on its shell, which are as follows:
Keep a respectful distance of 10 feet.
Take a photo without disturbing the turtle.
Record the location, including beach name, dropped pin or GPS coordinates.
Email NOAA to report the turtle’s number and location at RespectWildlife@noaa.gov.
Post your photo on social media along with the hashtag #HonuCount2018 to spread the word.