The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly of the 2009 Turtle Nesting Season

Aloha Turtle Enthusiasts,

After ~2 weeks of night patrolling for our 2009 nesting hawksbills, Kulu and Kalohe, we never discovered signs of any more of their nests at Kealia. We were hoping to locate them laying more nests so we could do some satellite tracking research, but considering how late it is in the season it’s not a surprise that they were done nesting after their last nests. Another possibility is that they went to different beaches to nest and we simply didn’t hear about it.

There was an extremely unfortunate incident that happened near the Maui Lu Resort along South Kihei Rd a couple of weeks ago. Unknown to us, a hawksbill nest was laid atop the dunes and when the hatchlings emerged they became disoriented by the streetlights, signage lights, and car lights and crawled onto the road instead of finding the ocean. Only ~30 hatchlings were saved with a total of 88 dead and dying hatchlings found on the road. We located the nest and excavated it but there were only two live ones left.

At this point we can’t say for sure if Kulu, Kalohe, or a different turtle altogether laid this Maui Lu nest. The incubation time period coincides best with a nest that Kulu could’ve laid before we found her first one of the season at Kealia. It’s not uncommon for turtles to nest in different locations, and these nesting sites are less than two miles away. As we were excavating the nest, we found out that a turtle (most likely this nester) had been found two months ago and folks helped her get back across the road to the ocean. The bright coastal lighting almost certainly disoriented her as well, and she probably barely missed getting run over herself! We will be including this stretch of coastline in our patrols next year for sure, and although it’s not practical to build a turtle fence around the whole island, something needs to be done…
There was a similar lighting-related disorientation incident with a green sea turtle nest in Ka‘anapali a week afterwards. Again, we didn’t know about the nest until hatchlings were found on the boardwalk (attracted inland towards the resort lighting). Luckily there wasn’t a road there, and passersby helped numerous hatchlings to the ocean before we found the nest. As both green and hawksbill nesting increases in brand new locations all around Maui, this serious problem will become more common. For more information on this topic and what you can do to facilitate “turtle safe lighting”, please visit our website.
The only positive piece of information that came out of the Maui Lu incident was that at least the hawksbill hatchlings developed successfully there. Hopefully this will be the case for the three Kealia nests, and the Kealia nest we relocated to Kawililipoa, but if not that will still provide us with some clues for solving this unproductive nest mystery.
Just like we’ve been doing since the beginning of this project in 1996, we’ll be monitoring the four nests we have left this season very closely. Starting on October 5th, we’ll be camping at the first Kealia nest. Due to the close dates of the subsequent nests we may be camping almost every night this month (depending on incubation success/durations). Once hatchlings become known, we’ll be scheduling daytime watches as well since we’ve had hatchlings emerge during all hours of the day and night. We need your help! Here’s your chance to join in the fun of helping us make sure every hatchling makes it to the ocean safely. Please contact us with your October availabilities, day or night, and we’ll send you specific details.

Mahalo to all who have helped so far this season!!!

mauihawksbills@gmail.com

Hawksbill Recovery Project

Another Awesome Public Service Announcement From Pa'ia Youth and Cultural Center!

A Shout Out To All That Helped Hawaii's Beaches

Thanks to the many people and organizations that Helped to Clean Hawaii's Beaches.  Imagine if just a few of us took it upon ourselves to fill up one trash bag from the beach every day.  Imagine if EVERYONE was pono and took their opala with them when they left the beach.
LOOK AT ALL THOSE BAGS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD and off the Beaches and Dunes!!!!!

The Needs of the Many Should Outweigh the Needs of the Few

This is my personal response as Founder of Hawaii Ecotube to a comment posted today - placed below, and is meant to address those of you that do not know me personally. I will only leave this post up for a short time, as this will be the last thing I will say on this matter – on this website anyhow. Because really, this isn’t what I meant for this website to be…


Yes, I DID work for DLNR – Division of Aquatic Resources (as a diver) to be exact, and I have seen first hand that there are a multitude of things causing the decline of our ocean resources here in Hawaii. I can also say I wish there was just one thing we could do to fix all of the woes. Truth is (as I see it) there isn’t, and everyone that uses the resources is going to have to participate in a little give and take. I started this website so that all people could have a say – whether I personally agree with them or not - and deliberate topics in hopes that a mutually beneficial solution (to all of a resource’s users) could be obtained. I, personally, believe that all people have a right to use the resources, and if one or more of those resource users causes a negative effect on the whole – changes need to be made. I applaud those that join in on the process, whether I agree with them or not – because I hope that the process will eventually prevail for the greater good.

I left the Division months prior to starting this blog site. I’m assuming all the stuff placed in quotes is to imply that I said them (see below). This is out and out not true. Also, what I say was and will continue to be on my behalf and only my behalf. I have (in my mind) tried to speak for the all the critters in nature (because to me - it takes all of them to make a system work) that do not have a voice in our forums and courtrooms, and will continue to do so.

My statement on a “witch hunt “was not directed at all the fine folks who are rallying to stop something they believe in their hearts to be wrong – as I said, I do have an opinion on Aquarium Collecting. Those that know me personally know what it is, and I will continue to join in the process and voice my opinion in hopes that what I believe to be right will prevail. The witch hunt I am speaking of - is the demonizing of individuals and organizations that are joining in on the process to arrive at a solution that is mutually beneficial for all of us today, and most especially for future generations.

This is Ms. Umberger's comment to my "In Response" blog...

John Mitchell? From the DLNR? Oh... now it all makes sense! "Extraction, good - marine tourism, bad" Don't touch the sea urchins - don't feed the fish - but hey, you aquarium collectors, you're alright... sustainable even.... breaking apart the reef to get feather duster worms, "not a problem", collecting over 2 million hermit crabs since 2000 and shipping them off to the mainland? "sustainable! (as long as scuba tours keep their grubby hands off them, that is...)" ....unbelievable....


"Better to be known as a sinner than a hypocrite" (please don't take that personally)


You're also wrong - this is not a one person blatant witch hunt. There are thousands and thousands behind me, John.
Rene Umberger

In Response.

It has come to my attention that Hawai’i Ecotube’s decision to temporarily pull a post on aquarium collection has spurred some criticism, and I would like the opportunity to explain the rationale behind this action. The decision was based on the realization that the post had ceased to follow our own policies and the site’s mission statement. 
 

Let me first say that personally I DO have opinions about the Aquarium Trade and its regulation, but the website I helped to create does not allow me to post them there - I have chosen to go about it the democratic way - place my name on lists, testify in panels, etc. in hopes that what I want to see happen does.

It is unfortunate that we at Hawaii Ecotube are being accused of hiding the truth, for as we see it "truth" is not necessarily the opinion of one person, but rather the collective agreement of all parties involved.  History has shown us that "truth" as dictated by one person rarely turns out good for the rest of us (feel free to contact us for a couple of historical examples).

Hawaii Ecotube was set up to create awareness and allow all parties involved to have a place for dialog with the hopes that issues could be hashed out in a way that OUR resources will be around for future generations.  

Our Mission Statement:

"Your opportunity to highlight and learn about both positive and negative environmental issues concerning those of us who love Hawaii. The purpose of this site and its associated YouTube Channel is to accumulate photographic and video documentation of short- and long-term instances of natural resources impacts. The intent is to raise awareness through objective documentation of these impacts and occurrences, initiate an honest dialog, and provide a forum for progressive improvements as well as showcase current and ongoing sustainable practices."

The post was actually originally edited to fulfill the Rules on Comments listed on the website. Recent correspondence pointed out that subsequent comments were not in line with our own policy, prompting us to pull the post. We at Hawaii Ecotube have decided that after this (in our opinion) blatant attack on our integrity the post will remain pulled until other members of the community wish to continue with a dialog on this topic in accordance with the rules we have outlined for the site and not perpetuate a blatant witch hunt (in our opinion) by one person.  Thanks to the internet, that can be done on one's own website.

Thank you,

John Mitchell

Co-founder, 
Hawaii Ecotube

Seeking Forum Topic Submissions!

‘A’ole I Pau Ka ‘Ike I Halau Ho’okahi
*****

Knowledge Is Not Found In Only One School

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seeking Topic Submissions! WHAT WE’d LIKE TO SEE…
A topic that you are currently passionate about and have a side on…state your side (we highly suggest you use current factual data and reference where this data comes from(PLEASE remember that it is 2009 and that data from let’s say 1930 (although interesting) isn’t as relevant ).
Submissions that have at least two sides will be the first to be posted.
There are many sides to any given issue, and with this in mind we will be launching the ‘A’ole I Pau Ka ‘Ike I Halau Ho’okahi forum section
In 1 1/2 Weeks!
It is simple really…
1. Although the folks at Hawaii Ecotube have opinions - we are not here to choose sides - only offer a place for these interactions to take place - a mutually neutral arena.
2. No Bashing - State your case, offer your data, offer your facts and give references as to where this data comes from- THATS IT!
3. Make no attempt to pander your company, organization, etc. Hawaii Ecotube reserves the right to omit this information from your text prior to publishing.
4. If someone wishes to contact an individual personally - they shall contact Hawaii Ecotube and we will get authorization from said person to contact them via email only.

5. Original topics will get a one month run and then will be archived – the debate can continue until (hopefully) a resolution is met – but there is plenty to talk about and we’d like to give everyone’s topic a chance to be heard.

Something New Is Coming Soon!

‘A’ole I Pau Ka ‘Ike I Halau Ho’okahi
Knowledge Is Not Found In Only One School
****************

Introducing Hawaii Ecotube’s new forum
There are many sides to any given issue, and with this in mind we will be launching the

‘A’ole I Pau Ka ‘Ike I Halau Ho’okahi forum section
In Two Weeks!
It is simple really…
1. Although the folks at Hawaii Ecotube have opinions - we are not here to choose sides - only offer a place for these interactions to take place - a mutually neutral arena.
2. No Bashing - State your case, offer your data, offer your facts - THATS IT!
3. Make no attempt to pander your company, organization, etc. Hawaii Ecotube reserves the right to omit this information from your text prior to publishing.
4. If someone wishes to contact an individual personally - they shall contact Hawaii Ecotube and we will get authorization from said person to contact them via email only.

PSA From Pa'ia Youth and Cultural Center

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