Hawaiian Honu take on Climate Change: Signs of a Fragile Recovery

July 15, 2021

Marylou Staman, NOAA Marine Turtle Biology and Assessment Program Marine Science Coordinator

Residing in the most geographically isolated island chain on the planet, the Hawaiian green sea turtle (known as honu in the Hawaiian Islands) population has been monitored by NOAA Fisheries' Marine Turtle Biology and Assessment Program for the last 45 years. Approximately 96 percent of the population nests on the islets of Lalo (French Frigate Shoals) in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. The long-term tagging study has produced a wealth of information about the status and trends of nesting females in the Hawaiian islands. There remains, however, limited data to assess the potential effects of climate change. Join Marylou Staman as she shares what we've learned so far, and what current research projects are building the foundation for understanding the population's resilience to climate change.

Marylou Staman is the leader of the NOAA Marine Turtle Biology and Assessment Program's green sea turtle population assessment project in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. As the leader of the field research, she has spent a total of 12 months living at Lalo over the past four years, where her favorite activities include stargazing and working with the hatchlings.

This presentation is part of the Third Thursday By the Bay Presentation Series at Mokupāpapa Discovery Center, which is the visitor center for Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in Hilo, Hawaiʻi. This State of the Monument lecture series is also supported by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.