Discover, The Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle

Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles bask on Laniakea Beach, a spot frequented by the turtles on Oahu’s north shore. (Ronen Zilberman photo Honolulu Vibes)

By:  Tamar McMillan-Zilberman

We were driving home from my dads Civil Beat photo assignment when we pulled over after shouts from my dad, “Stop the CAR!, stop the CAR!”, he yelled. My dad rushed out of the car with two cameras bouncing off his tummy. I followed behind him as my mom went to park. We ran down to Laniakea beach and laying there like rocks in the breaking waves, were two HUGE Hawaiian sea turtles. My dad taking photos while I followed behind him watching the turtles slowly struggle out of the water and onto the shores.

Seeing this it made me feel special to be able to witness these creatures. They are very iconic to Hawaii and are a symbol of change, adaption in new surroundings, good luck, endurance, and long life. Seeing events like this can open yours eyes to help protect this once endangered animal and though there are conservation laws these turtles can rise from least concerned back too Endangered.

Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles bask on Laniakea Beach, a spot frequented by the turtles on Oahu’s north shore. (Ronen Zilberman photo Honolulu Vibes)

Experiences like this inspire me, inspire me to learn more and write this…

There are many oceans on the Earth and all of them are filled with abundant sea life.

The Hawaiian green sea turtle or Honu is a turtle abundant to Hawaii and is one of the most common types in the reefs of Hawaii. The Hawaiian sea turtle was considered to be a great navigator and said to always know their way home. In the ancient times turtles were feasted upon by Hawaiian Chiefs and Ali’i.

Size/Look

        This turtle can weigh up to 300 pounds and get to the height of 4 ft. as an adult making them as big as an average 5th grader but weigh as much as baby elephant. They are the largest hard-shelled sea turtle in the world. Their top shell color ranges from brown to yellow with light brown streaks and their bottom shell is light yellow. They are covered in brown scales like a snake located on their flippers (front + back), head, and tail.

Tourists view Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles on Laniakea Beach on the north shore of Hawaii. A beach that is frequented by the endemic turtles. (Ronen Zilberman photo Honolulu Vibes)

Location

        The Hawaiian green sea turtle can be found in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the east coast of Florida.

Diet

        The Hawaiian green sea turtle is mainly vegetarian and has a diet similar to a whale. They eat algae, limu (Hawaiian seaweed), some fish, and jellyfish.

Population/Breeding

Tourists view Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles on Laniakea Beach on the north shore of Hawaii. A beach that is frequented by the endemic turtles. (Ronen Zilberman photo Honolulu Vibes)

        There are around 200,000 Hawaiian green sea turtles left. In Hawaii due to the act preventing the killing of turtles they are making a comeback. Hawaiian sea turtles breed in Summer so in this time there is an increase of appearances on or close to shore.

Human Impact

        Many species of turtles are endangered or nearly extinct because of us.

        There are around 2 million turtles and 365 species left on Earth and we aren’t helping that number get bigger. We have polluted the oceans and are constantly using plastic that goes into our waters and down into the turtles stomach.

        1 million marine animals die each year from eating our plastic debris, and 52% of them are sea turtles. We need to Help turtles, not kill them!

Here on Oahu the turtle population is on the up-rise and there are many places where you can go see them thanks to our protective laws on turtles. Here’s a list of places you can go see them!

• Waikiki Beach

• Haleiwa

• Electric Beach

• Cockroach Cove

• Laniakea Beach

• Alamoana Beach

• Makua Beach

• Baby Makapu’u

• Makapu’u

• Sharks Cove

• Turtle Bay

    Remember this to not hurt yourself or the turtles:

• Stay 2 yards away from turtles 

• Never touch sea turtles unless in a place with trained turtles and trainers with you

Read more for info on other turtles

Leather back Sea Turtle

Size/Look

        The Leather back sea turtle can weigh up to 1000 pounds as an adult as they are one of the biggest species of turtles in the world. The Leather back are the only species of turtle with no scales or a hard shell and are named after their thick rubbery skin. Their shell is made out of a rubbery Leather-like layer and usually has white or yellow speckles. The Leather back also has a delicate scissor like jaw unlike other turtles.

Location

        The Leather back are commonly found in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. In the Pacific they can be found as far north as Alaska and as far south as the southernmost tip of New Zealand. 

Diet

        With a Leather back’s delicate jaw they can only eat soft bodied creatures and vegetation like seaweed, jellyfish, tunicates, blue-green algae, fish, and squid. Jellyfish is the Leather backs main food source and if jellyfish die the possibility of the Leather backs dying would rise.

Population

        There are 34,000 to 36,000 nesting female Leather back turtles left and they are on the endangered species list in Canada and the U.S.

Land/Sea Soft-Shell Turtle

    Size/Look

        The soft-shell turtle can grow up to be 40 pounds. Their average height is 1 foot but they can grow up to be 2 feet long or a bit over. They have light and flexible shells making them fast in water, muddy lake bottoms, and they are faster than most turtles on land. They have a flattened pancake-like body, a long neck, and an elongated snorkel-like head. Their brown shell acts as a camouflage from other predators. They also have webbed 3-clawed feet giving them the family name of “Trionychidae.” meaning 3-clawed.

Location

        The soft-shell turtles live in most of the U.S. and roam from the central-eastern U.S. to as far south as Mexico. They live in rivers, ponds, streams, and lakes with sandy or muddy bottoms with nearly no vegetation.

Diet

        The soft-shell prefer a balanced diet but are very carnivorous. They eat things like fish, shrimp, mice, worms, crickets, dark leafy greens,  and crayfish. They mainly rely on fish and like the Leather back would likely die without it.

Population

        The soft-shell is highly endangered and Yangtze soft-shell turtles only have 3 remaining turtles left in the WORLD!

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Size/Look

        The loggerhead is named after it’s large head which supports its powerful jaw and teeth. As an adult its shell is hard and slightly heart shaped. They have a reddish-brown shell with 5 scutes and a yellow bottom shell. You can tell the difference between a male and female because the male has a long tail compared to other turtles.

Location

        The loggerhead is found in the Atlantic Ocean from Argentina all the way to Nova Scotia. The highest population of loggerheads though are located in North America by the barrier islands of North Carolina and Florida.

Diet

The loggerhead has a very large and strong jaw so they can eat hard-shelled sea-creatures. They eat whelks, conch, crab, clams, mussels, and shellfish (in-general).

Population

        The loggerheads are a threatened species and their main threat is us. There are about 40,000-50,000 females left in the world which means their population is decreasing.

by Tamar McMillan-Zilberman

Tamar is a 6th grader at S.E.E.Q.S. (School of Examining the Essential Question of Sustainability). Lover of cats. Tamar is a self-motivated seeqer of knowledge who doesn't quit till the job is not only done, but done well! She will be very happy to hear your feedback.