Kau'i'la, The Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle

DID YOU KNOW?   The Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle, The HONU (pronounced ho new) is the "Ancient of the Ocean" and survived even the Ice Age. 

Hawaiian legends tell a tale of Kau'i'la (cow ih la) who is a mystical sea turtle and a daughter born to two supernatural sea turtles in Hawaii. Kauila watched over the children playing on Punalu'u Beach (her home) on the Big Island (the island of Hawaii). She would sometimes turn herself into a little girl so she could play with the other children on the Black sandy beach. She would frolick in the fresh water pond and blow bubbles to the children's delight, but mainly would be there to watch over the children.

Our Honu is on the endangered species list because 90% of the Honu have a the virus "Fibropapillomatosis' and it causes fibroid tumors in the neck, throat, eyes, mouth and eventually eat the Honu from the inside out.

Please be aware that there are laws here that are enforced to protect our Honu:

• No Harassing
• No Harming
• No Killing
• No keeping sea turtles in captivity without a permit (educational or research)
• Divers are NOT to ride turtles. It is ILLEGAL because it puts the animals under stress

For more info on Endangered Species of Hawaii and Organizations that Protect them:

Honu Project

Hawaii's Endangered Species

National Wildlife

Earthtrust