Punahele & The Majesty of Green Sea Turtles
Meet Punahele (the “Favorite One”), learn about her love of basking in the sun on Laniakea Beach along the North Shore of O’ahu, Hawaii, the majesty of green sea turtles and related conservation efforts!
My love of green sea turtles began at an early age which I attribute mainly to PBS programs featuring the tireless and incredible work of David Attenborough and receipt of a wonderful stuffed sea turtle toy during the same period from my parents. It was not until May 19, 2018, for my first trip to Hawaii and while staying in Honolulu and visiting Laniakea Beach along the North Shore, that I finally got to experience them in person!
While I am not an expert on the topic of green sea turtles or related conservation, I write this post to share my incredible experience meeting Punahele, the volunteers of Malama na honu with whom I spent the late afternoon watching them protect her, and to bring some awareness to more conservation efforts that are needed to protect these majestic creatures.
Background on Green Sea Turtles
Green sea turtles, also referred to as green turtles, black (sea) turtles or Pacfic green turtles, are a large sea turtle species in the family Cheloniidae. Green sea turtles can be found throughout tropical and subtropical regions with two large populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans but can be found in the Indian Ocean as well. This type of turtle gets its name from a green fat found underneath its carapace (i.e., the dorsal region of an exoskeleton), not the carapace itself which is actually olive-black. Green sea turtles have a pair of large, paddle-like flippers and mainly inhabit shallow lagoons. The diet of a green sea turtle changes with age beginning as carnivores while juveniles and changing to omnivores during adulthood where the switch to feeding on various species of seagrass.
Green sea turtles migrate vast distances between feeding grounds and hatching beaches. Sea turtles return to the very beach upon which they were spawned to reproduce. Females beach at night to dig nests and lay eggs. Hatchlings emerge at night and make a mad dash to the shore to avoid predators and to begin their considerable journey in the oceans. Only humans and large sharks eat adult green sea turtles, but they face many challenges and predators until adulthood.
Green sea turtles’ steady diet on seagrass helps to maintain grass beds and increases yield. We can think of these turtles as helpful lawn mowers of the ocean. Sea turtles eat the grasses, digest them and recycle their nutrients through their waste into the waters which in turn feeds other plants and animals living in the seagrass ecosystem. Seagrasses host an abundance of life and serve as nurseries for many species of invertebrates and fish therefore are important to the supply of food for humans.
Punahele: The “Favorite One” & Sun Lover
I planned to visit the North Shore during my trip to Honolulu in hopes of seeing green sea turtles. I drove to Laniakea Beach along the North Shore on May 19, 2018 to spot them and watch them come ashore. I heard on the previous day many had come ashore but I maintained a bit of guarded optimism because chance and luck play a role each day. Luck blessed me and I witnessed several come ashore! While I enjoyed each of them immensely, I fell in love with Punahele and her story.
Punahele (or the “favorite one”), also referred to as L-21, is an adult female, who I believe is still alive as of this post which makes her approximately 40 years old, weighs 225 pounds (102 kg) and can be identified by her faint quarter-sized crescent-shaped indentation on her second right lateral scute. Punahele enjoys basking in the sun considerably longer than her compatriots and is known to stay long after sundown.
Punahele also has a special importance in scientific history and research. On March 12, 2020, scientists of the NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Turtle Biology and Assessment Program searched for an adult female green sea turtle in the early stages of egg development to track migration from Hawaii to their nesting sites as well as nesting and birthing patterns. They chose to look along the North Shore at Laniakea Beach. When they arrived, they found Punahele basking in the sun. Punahele not only has a remarkable story of survival considering her age (first tagged May 19, 2010), she became the first fertile sea turtle to be tagged and ultrasounded. For more about this incredible scientific work, and to learn about Punahele’s migration patterns and nesting journey, please visit the following pages:
My Time with Punahele
I arrvived to Laniakea Beach in the early afternoon and spent a few hours waiting for sea turtles to arrive but with no luck. Worried that I might miss them this time, in the spirit of the green sea turtle I stayed and persevered. At approximately 5:23 PM, I saw a large blob moving in the water heading towards the shore. Punahele arrived by swimming in circles within the small cove probably studying currents and determining the best path for her approach. She chose her spot and emerged from the water at approximately 5:50 PM right in front of me! She spent about 5 more minutes with a slow, but steady and determined waddle inland to a first napping spot. I took hundreds of photos and the metadata of those photos allowed me to put together her timeline for the afternoon.
Waves interrupted her nap frequently. She did not seem to mind at first but they must have become unbearable as she decided to waddle further inland to the quietude of a new spot. She sunk her head into the sand and closed her eyes at peace.
Once settled, the volunteers of Malama na honu roped off a protective area around Punahele. Volunteers sat and watched over her at times reprimanding tourists (who get too close to take pictures and selfies — ughh) and educating those interested in learning more about her and other turtles. I asked many questions. I was so proud of these people and amazed at their dedication.
At approximately 6:48 PM, after nearly an hour of sunbathing and napping, Punahele turned around, looked back at me to say goodbye (so I believe haha), and made her way back to the ocean. She began her sand waddling and reached the water’s edge in only 2 minutes, pushing through relentless waves and disappeared under the surf at about 6:53 PM.
Photos of Punahele (May 19, 2018)
Here are a few of the pictures I captured of Punahele during my time with Punahele:
To see these images of Punahele in full frame with more detail, please visit my Gallery dedicated to her located here:
Videos of Punahele
Watch these two amazing videos of Punahele!
Green Turtles are an Endangered Species || Related Conservation Efforts
Green sea turtles are an endagered species (which breaks my heart)! They have undergone a 90% decline in population in the past half century according to The National Wildlife Federation. This decline has been caused by a combination of factors including climate change, habitat loss and disease. Also, light pollution on beaches confuses hatchlings who crawl towards the light rather than the ocean waters which imperils them or causes many of their deaths. Several international treaties protect green sea turtles as well as local laws included many within the United States both federal and state laws. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service regularly monitors green sea turtle populations in the United States. While more advanced regulations and reforms are needed to advance conservation efforts and protect these animals and their environment, we cannot wait and each person can have a positive impact.
How can I help? Keep reading…..
What Can I Do to Help Save Sea Turtles?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offers very helpful and informative guidelines that assist in conservation generally and for sea turtles specifically which can be found here:
For just a few examples of ways you can help make an impact:
- Become a conscientious consumer of seafood by stopping or curtailing your appetite
- Ask how was the seafood caught? Note — some providers merely claiming “sustainable” may not actually be truthful or accurate, so don’t take it for granted and do more diligence. Watch “Seaspiracy” which does a great job bringing awareness to this topic: https://www.seaspiracy.org/
- Report stranded, injured or threatened turtles to local authorities or agencies: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/report
- Reduce your use of plastics generally as best you can
- Drink water from reusable containers
- Carry reusable shopping bags (plastic bags represent one of the largest threats to turtles because sadly they end up in the ocean and they eat them and die)
- Volunteer and participate in coastal clean-up projects
- In active beach habitats, keep coastal areas dark (remove unnecessary illumination) and remove recreational beach equipment at night
- Get involved, spread the word and the love of turtles!
For a list of other related information, links about sea turtle conservation, or other ways to get involved, you may visit:
- https://www.nps.gov/bisc/learn/nature/how-you-can-help-protect-sea-turtles.htm
- https://www.seeturtles.org/help-save-turtles/
- https://support.worldwildlife.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=can_home&s_src=web_HYCH&_ga=2.56597867.1153292721.1618115888-817647448.1618115888
- https://www.worldwildlife.org/initiatives/protecting-turtles-from-the-threat-of-bycatch
- https://www.projects-abroad.org/blog/how-we-can-help-save-sea-turtles/
Geoff Piper Photography of Animals
For a full frame image of Punahele “Heading Home” or other photographs of animals I have taken over the years, visit the links below:
Other Helpful Links
For more information about green sea turtles, please visit these helpful links:
