May 15 marks Endangered Species Day, a time when we celebrate the protection of endangered species and their habitat. Hawai‘i is often called the endangered species “capital” of the nation. We have more than 500 listings on land and in the sea—nearly 20 percent of the nation’s listed species. Across the Hawaiian Islands, NOAA manages 14 threatened and endangered species, including whales, turtles, fishes, and the iconic Hawaiian monk seal.
Endangered species conservation efforts have had a huge impact on some species. The Hawaiian green sea turtle population has been steadily increasing at a rate of 5 percent per year over the past two decades. Thanks to these encouraging signs toward recovery, residents and visitors alike may encounter turtles basking on beaches or feeding on limu (algae) in the water. But most people have never seen the Hawaiian hawksbill turtle. They are another marine turtle that regularly nests in the Hawaiian Islands but are at high risk of extinction.
The NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office supports marine turtle conservation projects like the Hawaiʻi Island Hawksbill Project. Based out of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, this small conservation program monitors, studies, and protects these ancient reptiles.
Our recent and engaging StoryMap detailed this struggling population and the trials and tribulations of the tiny team working hard to save endangered honu‘ea.
Take the Quiz!
Do you think you know more about hawksbills and the Hawaiʻi Island Hawksbill Project than your family, friends, and colleagues? Put it to the test in this 10-question quiz, which increases in difficulty as you go along! The StoryMap holds the answer to every question, and the correct answer will appear after each question and at the end of the quiz. Time yourself and share your score: how well do you know honu‘ea?
