Honu `Ea: Endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtles of Hawai`i Island

A special project based in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park has been monitoring and protecting nesting hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) and their habitat since 1989.  Honu `ea are critically endangered; a mere 140 nesting females have been documented in our State, most of them on the island of Hawai`i.  Nesting season for these rare and beautiful creatures began in May and continues through December.  Between five and fifteen individuals will come ashore in a given season, then not return for another three to five years!

Lauren Kurpita, project coordinator for the Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Project, is our guest this evening and talks about the differences between hawksbill and green sea turtle species, current threats to the hawksbills, and conservation efforts under way to help protect this extraordinary species from extinction.

Free to Lyman Museum members; $3 nonmembers.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for evening public programs.
Limited seating; first come, first seated. Additional parking next door at Hilo Union School.