Happy Birthday, Honu! - Maui Ocean Center
Go back

Happy Birthday, Honu!

Maui Ocean Center’s Six Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles Turn Two

The MOC ʻohana recently celebrated a very special occasion. Our six Hawaiian green sea turtle ambassadors, Kuʻuipo (Turtle 1), Kilakila (Turtle 2), Nohea (Turtle 3), Hohonu (Turtle 4), Makaʻala (Turtle 5), and Auliʻi (Turtle 6), turned two!

Sea turtle

Sea turtles are only with us for a short period of time at the beginning of their lives, so celebrating these milestones is particularly meaningful. Even though we’re currently closed, we were still able to come together, masks and all, to cook up a very special birthday cake – turtle gel made of cucumber, broccoli, carrots, spinach, herring, spirulina, gelatin, yeast, and pellets!

Turtle-gel is a nutritious “secret” recipe made in-house at MOC

Turtle-gel is a nutritious “secret” recipe made in-house at MOC

The Hawaiian green sea turtles, or honu, at Maui Ocean Center are part of an ongoing outreach program that started in the 1970’s. Sea Life Park on Oʻahu is home to the parents of these young turtles, and while most of the hatchlings are released to the wild, a few become ambassadors of their species at MOC.

All sea turtles are protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973 – only through a special permit are we allowed to care for and handle them. Our sea turtle ambassadors are weighed and measured weekly to monitor growth and ensure overall health, and after a few years under our care, are ready to be introduced to the ocean to continue their lives in their natural habitat.

Honu enjoy special turtle-gel birthday cakes

Honu enjoy special turtle-gel birthday cakes

We continue to learn from our turtle ambassadors after their release. Satellite transmitters, like the one fitted to Nakine, a previous turtle ambassador, continue to shed light on the movements of young turtles around the Hawaiian Islands.

MOC celebrated the six honu behind the scenes

MOC celebrated the six honu behind the scenes

It won’t be long before Kuʻuipo, Kilakila, Nohea, Hohonu, Makaʻala, and Auliʻi are ready to embark on their next chapter of life in the open ocean. Until then, they are well cared for by Team Manō and Team Honu!

MOC’s Curatorial Team

MOC’s Curatorial Team

You May Also Like
Animals
Education
Meet Maui Ocean Center’s Camouflage Champions
Beyond the water’s edge, there is abundant marine life of all shapes, sizes, and colors. If you look closely, you’ll notice many of these animals can cleverly disguise themselves to evade ...
Read More
Animals
Articles
Conservation
Education
Humpback Whales and the Health of Our Oceans
Every year, people come to Maui from all over the world to witness the arrival of the humpback whales, admiring their majesty with reverence, deference and awe. But there are more reasons than beauty ...
Read More
Animals
Conservation
Maui Living
How to Live With Ocean Aloha
A single question drives Maui Ocean Center’s Ocean Aloha, “go green for blue” initiative: what do we want our oceans to look like for our children, grandchildren, and generations that follow?
Read More