Sea Turtle Facts
Sea turtles are by far one of our favorite marine animals to watch in Maui waters, and it never gets old. We hope you enjoy some interesting facts about sea turtles on Maui before your next visit!
Interesting facts about sea turtles:
Did you know?
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They do not retract into their shell
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Green sea turtles are named for the color of their fat layer
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Female sea turtles return to the same beach to lay eggs using magnetic “clues”
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Baby green sea turtles are carnivores and transition to eating seaweed as they grow older
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The actual lifespan of green sea turtles is unknown
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The sex of turtles is determined by the temperature of sand, cooler the sand the more males
Sea Turtle Habitat
Sea turtles live in tropical waters. Unlike other turtles who make international voyages, Hawaiian sea turtles tend to stick around the Hawaiian islands. They can be found near coral reefs, basking in the sun on Hawaii beaches or resting under ledges on the ocean floor. Sounds terrible right?
Sea Turtle Diet
So what do they eat? Young turtles typically hang out in deeper water and eat jellyfish and living organisms. As they grow older, and their size outweighs the threat of predators such as crabs, they start to visit the more shallow areas and feed on algae and seagrass. Rather than teeth, turtles use their beak to at. Have you ever seen a turtle that looks like it has a tear near its eye? Well, It’s not crying. It’s actually a clump of salt that is secreted by glands in their eyes. Sea turtles are able to drink sea water and rely on this gland to remove excess salt. Perfect!
Sea Turtle Behavior
They swim, breathe, eat and sleep. What more could you ask for? Sea turtles use their front flippers as power propulsion appendages while their rear flippers steer like rudders. It’s possible for a turtle to reach speeds up to 15 mph. These air-breathing reptiles need to surface every 15 minutes while active in order to gulp air. We frequently see their heads pop up to breathe while paddling out to snorkel spots. They cruise their favorite coral reefs to feed and settle under a ledge at night to rest. While resting, their metabolism slows and they can hold their breath for hours. Sea turtles cannot retract into their shells like other turtle species, so they rely on scales skin for protection.
Types of Sea Turtles on Maui
There are five different types of sea turtles on Maui:
- Hawaiian Green
- hawksbill
- leatherback
- loggerhead
- olive ridley
Only two are likely to be observed: Green and hawksbill. The others three in deep ocean waters and are far less likely to be spotted.
Hawaiian green sea turtles
Adult Hawaiian green sea turtles are around 4 feet in length and anywhere from 300 to 400 lbs. They don’t get their name from the color of their shell or skin, but from the hue of their fat. Their diet of seaweed and seagrass is largely responsible for the color.
Hawaiian Green sea turtles tend to live around the main Hawaiian islands, but make the long journey to the French Frigate Shoals to nest.
Map of French Frigate Shoals, Hawaii
The Frigate Shoals are part of the largest protected marine area, the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. A turtle that takes up residence in Kauai, the closest island of the main Hawaiian islands, will travel approximately 450 miles to nest. Not quite as far as our seasonal Humpback Whale friends who swim a whopping 3K miles, but still quite the trip. Turtles return to nest anywhere from every two to four years.
Hawksbill sea turtles
Hawksbill sea turtles Can grow up to 45 inches long and weigh up to 150 lbs. Their name is derived from their bird-like beak. Unlike the Hawaiian green sea turtles, hawksbill sea turtles remain omnivorous throughout their lifetime. Also a departure from their green friends, hawksbills do not regularly come onto the beach. They only make a and appearance when laying eggs. Though most of the nesting takes place on the big island of Hawaii, there are some who nest right here on Maui beaches. At this time, the hawksbill sea turtle is critically endangered and only one in 1000 hatchlings actually make it to sexual maturity. Organizations like the Hawaii Wildlife Fund conduct regular nesting watches for hawksbills during the season. Once a turtle has nested, the area is blocked off and monitored until the hatchlings emerge. For more information on the project, visit their website.
Best time of day to see turtles
If you like to start your day with an early morning walk on the beach, you might just run into some turtles laying in the sand. For those who like to sleep in, you may only witness their tracks. Due to the nature of the way the wind and waves pick up in Maui, swimming with sea turtles is generally best in the early morning. As the day goes on, the surf may make cause a decline in visibility. Murky ocean water is very attractive to sharks who like to sneak attack. In general, most of the sharks in Maui are not a threat to humans, but the ones who may do harm like to sneak attack in the murky water. For more information on sharks check out our blog: Why you shouldn’t worry about sharks in Maui.
Sea Turtle Viewing Guidelines
Sea turtles on Maui, and all of Hawaii, are protected by the Federal Endangered Species Act as well as Hawaii State law. Touching a sea turtle or acting in a manner that alters their behavior is considered harassment. Though the laws protecting sea turtles do not specify a minimum distance, research shows getting too close to a turtle will disturb them. NOAA recommends a viewing distance of 10 feet both on the beach and in the ocean. So next time you see your favorite honu, remember they don’t necessarily want a hug from you. Check out more tips and ideas for making your Maui vacation more eco-friendly.
Where to See Sea Turtles
Top sea turtle beaches in Maui
Ho’okipa Beach on Maui’s north shore is a well-known surf, windsurf and kiteboarding beach. Off to the far right, you will also find a large group of turtles resting on the sand. NOAA recommends keeping viewing distance of 10 feet from turtles whether in the water or on the sand. Since this spot draws in tons of people who may not be aware of the viewing distances and volunteer groups who aim to protect the endangered reptile have taken up residence. You will see the turtles are roped off and monitored by a volunteer who will likely be happy to share a plethora of knowledge if you ask.
Top sea turtle snorkel spots in Maui
Turtle Town in Makena is just like it sounds, a place to see a lot of sea turtles and it is located just off Makena Landing Beach Park. Other names for this spot are 5 Caves 5 Graves or the Hawaiian name of Nahuna. The lava tube formations on the ocean floor at Nahuna gave rise to unique coral reef structures and arches.
Turtle Gardens in Olowalu is another fantastic spot to see sea turtles. Also known as Coral Gardens, sea turtles graze along the “mother reef” that was recently named a Hope Spot. Recognizing that Olowalu hosts the largest manta ray population in the United States, spawns coral as far as Lanai and Molokai and features some of the oldest coral in the main Hawaiian Islands, Mission blue hopes to draw attention to the decline in coral health.
Turtle Cove can be found on the north-west side of the island at Napili Bay. This idyllic bay is surrounded by development. In Hawaii, beach access cannot be blocked from the public, though if you are not staying in the area, you will likely need to park on a side street. During the winter months, the north-west side of the island experiences significant surf making it great for body boarding but not so much for snorkeling. For this reason, we only recommend this area for turtle watching from June through August.
Honolua Bay is a Marine Life Conservation District, in an effort to protect the various nearshore fish. No fishing is allowed in the area. Snorkelers can enjoy viewing the turtle cleaning stations as well as the other various marine life that may pass through such as manta rays and spinner dolphins. Honolua is well known for its winter surf and is even the host for winter surf competitions. Just like Napili, we only recommend this area for snorkeling with turtles June through August. For more information on Marine Life Conservation Districts, visit the DLNR website.
Why Are Sea Turtles Endangered?
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Development: The habitat of sea turtles has been compromised and/or lost to building on our shorelines.
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Coral reef loss: turtles rely on coral reefs for food. Hawaii recently experienced a devastating coral bleaching event leaving large areas of the coral dead. Though the reef has been slowly recovering, another bleaching event may not be too far into the future.
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Egg harvesting: Many countries still harvest sea turtle eggs. In the United States, this is illegal.
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Fishing industry: Turtles are often bycatch that get unintentionally caught in fishing nets by commercial fishing. There are now laws and protections in place to ensure turtles have a way to escape these nets, but their population was severely affected prior to the protections.
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Light: City lights cause turtles to migrate toward beyond our beaches and onto roads with life-ending vehicles. Many areas restrict beach lighting during nesting and hatching season as well as set up barriers that prevent the turtles from leaving the beach.
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Rising temperatures: As we mentioned earlier, the sex of sea turtles is determined by the temperature of the sand. With rising temperatures, we may see a decline in the male population which would limit reproduction.
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Disease: Fibropapillomatosis is a disease that causes the growth of tumors on the turtle’s soft tissue. Though the tumors do not appear to be painful, they can grow large enough to obstruct a turtle’s daily habits such as eating.
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Marine debris: Sadly our oceans are filling up with plastic waste that can take 200 years to break down. As it does this, it splits into smaller and smaller pieces. Turtles many times cannot distinguish this and other debris like fishing line from their natural food source. Their stomachs fill up with plastic. Turtles also run the risk of getting entangled in fishing nets that can restrict their ability to swim, grow, and eat.
If you see a sick or entangled turtle, you can call NOAA’s hotline at (888)-256-9840. For complete details, visit their website.
Sea turtle tours
There are several ways to see sea turtles on Maui, but our favorite, of course, is by kayak. Kayaks do not produce the noise or environmental pollution of large motored boats. Kayak tours are also typically smaller than larger snorkel boats. Viewing turtles in a group of eight is much different than a group of 50 to 100+. We also have the ability to go to a few different places, or the spot with the best conditions on a particular day. Large boats are relegated to available moorings to tie up, but kayaks can drop anchor in the sand just about anywhere that isnʻt too deep. Kayak guides who are on the water also have a pretty intimate understanding of where the sea turtles have been hanging out.
Mahalo for reading! SEA you later…
References:
- “Green Sea Turtle.” Giant Clam, Coral Reefs, Invertebrates, Tridacna Sp at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, www.montereybayaquarium.org/animal-guide/reptiles/green-sea-turtle.
- “Green Sea Turtle.” Giant Clam, Coral Reefs, Invertebrates, Tridacna Sp at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, www.montereybayaquarium.org/animal-guide/reptiles/green-sea-turtle.
- “Hawaii Marine Life – Maui Ocean Center.” Maui Ocean Center, mauioceancenter.com/educate/hawaiis-marine-life/.
- “Hawaiian Sea Turtles.” Hawaii Wildlife Fund – Hawaiian Sea Turtles, www.wildhawaii.org/marinelife/turtles.html.
- “Sea Turtles.” Hawaii Invasive Species Council, 21 Sept. 2017, dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/species/sea-turtles/.
- US Department of Commerce, and NOAA. “Home Page of NOAA Fisheries Service – Pacific Islands Regional Office.” Monk Seal Population Size and Threats :: NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office, 21 June 2006, www.fpir.noaa.gov/PRD/prd_green_sea_turtle.html.
- “Olowalu Reef Is Announced as the First Hawaiian Hope Spot!” Mission Blue, 18 Aug. 2017, mission-blue.org/2017/08/olowalu-reef-is-announced-as-the-first-hawaiian-hope-spot/.
- “Hawai’i Marine Life Conservation Districts.” Hawaii Invasive Species Council, 1 Apr. 2015, dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/marine-managed-areas/hawaii-marine-life-conservation-districts/.
- “Hawksbill Sea Turtle.” National Geographic, 11 Apr. 2010, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/h/hawksbill-sea-turtle/.
Maui Kayak Adventures
61 Halekuai St., Unit 2
61 Halekuai St., Unit 2
Kihei, HI 96753
United States
