When it comes to sea turtles in Hawaii, Green sea turtles (honu) tend to capture headlines and the imagination. Likely because of their numbers. However, there are two other sea turtles considered native in Hawaii: the Hawksbill (honu’ea) and Leatherback.
The Leatherback is known as the world’s largest turtle, growing up to eight feet long and weighing 2,000 pounds. That’s some turtle. They’re most often seen offshore in deep water. They feed on jellyfish and other invertebrates. They do not normally nest on Hawaii’s beaches. As its name implies, the Leatherback does not have a hard shell.
That leaves the endangered Hawksbill. Sightings around Hawaii are also rare; however, they regularly nest on the beaches of Molokai, Maui and Hawaii Island. They measure up to three feet long and weigh 150 to 200 pounds. Their name comes from their long, narrow beak that they use to snag food in tiny cracks and crevices. Their lifespan is unknown reaching maturity between 20 to 35 years of age, and estimated to be 50 years or more. They feed on invertebrates, primarily, sponges that are toxic to most other animals, but they also eat algae, mollusks, corals, crustaceans, sea urchins, small fish, and jellyfish. Their meat is poisonous to humans.
According to NOAA, “Every 1 to 5 years, female hawksbill turtles return to nest on beaches in the general areas where they hatched decades earlier. Hawksbills generally lay three to five nests per season, which each contain an average of 130 to 160 eggs. The nesting season varies by location, but in most places occurs between April and November of each year. Hawksbills typically nest at night on small and isolated “pocket” beaches, with little or no sand and a rocky approach. They usually nest high up on the beach under or in vegetation.”
In Hawaii, the Hawaii Wildlife Fund has been researching and monitoring nesting Hawksbills since 1996. They report there are fewer than 100 adult female Hawksbills known to nest in all of Hawaii. Since a female doesn’t nest every year, it’s estimated somewhere between 15 to 25 females nest statewide. Last year, two Hawksbill nests were discovered on Kauai. In the past few years, dead Hawksbill turtles have also been recovered. So, they’re around Kauai.
There are a few ways to distinguish a Hawksbill sea turtle from a Green sea turtle. First, the shape of their head and bill. Second, the design of their carapace. Third, their tracks. Finally, the color of hatchlings. For more details on the differences between the two species, see this brochure.
The threats for Hawksbill turtles are similar to those for Greens: bycatch in fishing gear, direct harvest of turtles and/or eggs, loss and degradation of nesting and foraging habitat, predation of eggs and hatchlings, vessel strikes, ocean pollution/marine debris, and climate change. For more details on the threats, visit this NOAA page.
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