HONOLULU (KHON2) — Peak Sea turtle nesting has begun! From August through November, adult female sea turtles will be seeking sanctuary in Hawaii’s sandy beaches to lay their eggs.
Sea turtles aren’t the ones seeking out Hawaii’s beaches; crowded beaches are also in season.
Here is what you can do to help keep sea turtles and their nest safe on your next beach day:
- Remain at least 10 feet away from any nesting sea turtle or marked nest.
- Never handle hatchlings; they must crawl across the sand into the ocean so that as adults, they can return to nest.
- No driving on beaches. Not only is it illegal, but it can trap or crush hatchlings and nests.
- If you are attending the beach at night, turn off any beach-facing lights, use only red filtered lights. White lights can be disorienting to the hatchlings and lead them away from the ocean.
- No campfires on the beach. Not only is this illegal, but it is also confusing to hatchlings. Officials have reported in some incidents that hatchlings have crawled into the fire pits and died.
Officials said since 2020, there has been a reported increase in nest activity. This positive pattern of the threatened Hawaiian green sea turtle, or honu in Hawaiian, is why we must take extra precautions at the beach this time of year.
How the nesting process works
Five of the seven sea turtle species reside in the Hawaiian waters. You can find the Honu, Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, Loggerhead, and Leatherback. The most commonly spotted species in Hawaii is the Honu.
According to SeaWorld officials, sea turtles’ age to reproduce can be as young as 7 years old and as old as 40 years old, depending on the species. This can create a reproductive disadvantage for some species.
NOAA officials said a female sea turtle can lay up to 100 eggs in a single clutch, with about two to six clutches during nesting season.
Sea turtles typically return to the same beach where they were hatched to lay their eggs. A nest can take up to 60 days to hatch.
The temperature of the sand determines the baby sea turtle’s gender. This process is called Temperature Dependent Sex Determination. The warmer temperatures produce more females, and the cooler temperatures produce more males.
NOAA researchers indicated that due to the warming temperature with climate change, there could be a spike in females, causing an imbalance of the species’ genetic ratio.
When the sea turtles are ready to hatch, they do so in unison and follow the downward slope of the beach and the reflection of the moon and stars upon the water to reach their new home.
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If you come across any injured, dead, or hatching turtles, please call the NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline at 888-256-9840.
Report incidents of beach driving to DLNR enforcement at the number 808-643-3567.
For more information on sea turtles and volunteering opportunities please visit the website.