Hawaiʻi Island Hawksbill Project
The Sea Turtle Directory
Country: United States (Hawaii, Palmyra Atoll, and Jarvis Island)
Organization / Project Name: Hawaiʻi Island Hawksbill Project
Website: https://hawaiiislandhawksbillproject.org/
Email: info@hawaiiislandhawksbillproject.org
Description: The Hawaiian Islands have the largest hawksbill turtle nesting population in the United States, and over 90% of this population’s documented nesting occurs on the Island of Hawaiʻi (some nesting also occurs on the islands of Maui and Molokaʻi). Hawaiʻi Island Hawksbill Project (HIHP) is a project with the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit at the University of Hawaiʻi and is the primary organization responsible for monitoring and protecting hawksbill turtles and their nesting habitat on Hawaiʻi Island. HIHP began monitoring for hawksbill nesting activity at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park in 1989 and tagging nesting females in 1991. Intensive monitoring efforts have expanded over the decades to include additional nesting beaches both inside and outside of the National Park. Today, HIHP staff work with many collaborators including the World Turtle Trust, National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA), Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, Hawaiʻi Department of Forest and Wildlife, and private landowners to monitor and protect hawksbill turtle populations and their nesting habitat on the Island of Hawaiʻi.
Species of focus: Hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Volunteer program: Yes
Tourist activities (Y/N): No
Primary Areas of Work: Beach protection, Nesting beach monitoring, Genetic sampling, Satellite telemetry, Environmental education/community outreach
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/hawaiislandhawksbillproject/about/
Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/hawaiiislandhawksbillproject/