Photos

Advertisement

Hawaiian waters are home to several protected species of sea turtles, including the honu (green sea turtle), which provides underwater delight for residents and visitors alike.

All sea turtles (dead and alive) are legally protected. Green sea turtles are considered threatened, while many others, like the hawksbills, are deemed endangered. The state strives to provide a safe haven for our shelled reptile friends, and encourages residents to educate themselves and our visitors about Hawai‘i’s precious wildlife.

But many people don’t know what to do when coming across a turtle in need along the beaches or struggling in nearshore waters.

On Thursday, Feb. 4, a group of concerned individuals assisted a helpless honu who was entangled in a homemade buoy about 300 feet from the jetty at Olowalu Landing.

As a small group gathered at the landing, watching the 60-pound (estimated) turtle struggle in its entanglements, Owen Murrey, a North Shore resident, and Australian visitor Peter Roebars decided to swim out and attempt a rescue.

Though the turtle panicked at first, the exhausted creature soon stopped struggling and accepted the men’s help.

“It took them awhile to cut the critter free,” said part-time Kihei resident Kathy Brandiger. “I’m glad these caring and strong men were there, or I’m not sure if the turtle would have made it much longer.”

Using a knife, the men cut and unwound the rope, that had imbedded itself into the flesh of the turtle’s neck and flipper.

“Once freed, the grateful beast swam away and disappeared,” said Brandiger. 

Although this tale ended happily, it’s better to leave rescue efforts to the experts, according to turtle stranding experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary (HIHWMS). Its trained personnel and volunteers, the “Turtle Stranded” program, covers the south shores of the island.

Rod Quigley, a program volunteer, is one of many who can be paged to respond when a turtle is in trouble. “Most of the time when we get calls, we find that the creature is just sleeping or basking in the sun,” said Quigley.

For all other areas of Maui, the University of Hawai‘i Maui College’s Marine Option Program and faculty coordinator Donna Brown provide assistance.

These two “pager” programs work in partnership with the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and NOAA. Turtles from Maui are shipped to the O‘ahu center, and experts conduct scientific research, necropsies and monitoring programs that support the conservation and management these living marine resources.

 “Maui has a great group of volunteers involved, who are trained and eager to help,” said Quigley.

Part of the PIFSC’s Protected Species Division is the Marine Turtle Research Program (MTRP), and due to the efforts of volunteers and experts such as Head Research Biologist Dr. George Balazs, turtles have been making a comeback since 1978.

“Sea turtles have come a long way, and I think programs like these are helping a lot,” said Quigley.

“Although these guys at Olowalu were able to free the turtle, we’d rather they call someone trained in that situation,” said Skippy Hau, aquatic biologist for the State of Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) on Maui. “I realize people are trying to help, but they could put themselves in danger.

“These animals are strong and can slap you silly with their flippers,” he said. “I’m glad it worked out, but they got lucky.” 

Hawai‘i Wildlife Fund (HWF) also works in collaboration with NMFS/NOAA. HWF President Hannah Bernard and Research Coordinator Cheryl King are vital parts of turtle conservation efforts on Maui.

“The main message is to leave animals alone, give them space and contact the right people,” said Bernard. “We all need to educate visitors, because they don’t know not to touch them.”

Hau agrees. If you want to help, call and reference specific landmarks to identify the exact locale. Hau said DAR are points of contact to facilitate a response, but officers do not normally pick up stranded turtles, unless there is a law enforcement violation.

“The pagers are the best bet,” said Hau.  

According to Brandiger, the turtle at Olowalu was trapped by a “painted juice jug” with nylon ropes and a bungee cord. Bystanders reported it was one of the markers placed off-shore for a race event. A second similar buoy was found on nearby rocks.

“It’s obvious that the event’s organizers had not bothered to retrieve their marker buoys afterwards, leaving them as a hazard to the area’s marine life,” she said. “It is fortunate that this particular turtle was spotted and rescued from this carelessly abandoned snare by other more aware human beings.”

“No one is allowed to be leaving any kind of buoy or ropes in the water like that,” said Hau. He said he would appreciate it if the public would report to DAR during incidences like these.

NOAA Maui Program Coordinator Patty Miller said that after volunteers in the Maui turtle programs get to the animals, they crate the turtle and ship it to the experts on O‘ahu for assessment of the situation.

But sometimes, the “situation” is just indigestion.

Miller recalled a funny tale of one young honu that concerned beachgoers when it “would not sink or go down.” The honu was sent to O‘ahu’s experts, only to realize all he needed to do was pass some gas.

After that, “Stinky” was fine and was taken back to where he was found on Maui.

“Sometimes, it’s serious and sometimes it’s cases like this,” she said.

Miller would love to see more people involved in the turtle rescue programs. “We train them, match them with people who know what they are doing and get the turtles to the appropriate place,” she said.

Contact Miller directly at (808) 879-2818, ext. 21, to get involved on Maui.

If you find a stranded or stressed sea turtle on Maui, there’s a response team ready to help in your area. Cut out the contact information sidebar (last image) for quick access to these important numbers.

Facebook  MySpace  Digg  Stumble    Mixx  Fark  del.icio.us   LiveSpaces

Member Comments

View Comments: | Post a comment

No comments posted for this article.

You must first login before you can comment.