Hawaii is many things. It’s a surfer’s paradise, a top destination wedding spot, a marine wildlife haven, a beautifully diverse series of islands, and, interestingly enough, it’s also the widest state from East to West (and West to East) despite being the 43rd largest by square miles.
Hawaii might appear to be strictly meant for those who love great beaches, amazing weather, and pristine water. And, while it offers those benefits for visitors — and one would be a bit amiss not to question how someone wouldn’t enjoy at least one of those options — it has a lot more to offer. Winter sports enthusiasts like skiers and snowboarders can simply take that to the water; mountain lovers will be surprised to hear about Mauna Kea, and — you get the idea.
Hawaii also has an extremely unique history, which is preserved in some great museums throughout the islands. They chronicle the 1,500 years after Polynesians, guided by the stars and their navigation skills, first arrived at Hawaiʻi, also known as the Big Island. It’s definitely worth considering changing the moniker to the “Massive” Island. After all, it’s the largest island in the United States and almost twice as large as all the other Hawaiian islands combined.
There are generally considered eight major islands that make up the state, including Oahu, the most populated and home to the capital city of Honolulu. However, technically speaking, Hawaii is made up of 137 islands, islets, and shoals.
The number of animal and plant species residing on its lands, in its waters, and those that soar through its air dwarf that number considerably. The state’s unmatchable location creates ecosystems that can’t be found anywhere else worldwide.
This fact makes it a natural habitat for rare species of all sorts and, in some ways, also a natural habitat for marine biologists, conservationists, and other wildlife scientists. Unfortunately, the need for these experts and similar-minded organizations is rising due to climate change, environmental degradation, and other human-led issues.
Keep reading to learn more about three of Hawaii’s endangered species and what’s being done to fight for their survival.
The Hawaiian Monk Seal
Photo Courtesy Mark Sullivan
The Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) is no small matter –– adults weigh an average of 490 pounds! (Don’t worry, the seals won’t hear me –– and not just because they literally don’t have ears –– but also because animals can’t read.) The earless seal species, Hawaii’s only native one, has seen declining population levels over 60 years.
The current day population, an estimated 1,500–1,600 individuals, makes monk seals the most endangered seal or sea lion species in the U.S.
The good news is that there is still some hope, even if the seals themselves won’t know it.
The blubbery mammals, one of only two mammal species native to Hawaii –– the name of the other is, unfortunately, later down on this list –– are protected by a few different organizations and laws. For starters, they fall under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and a few of Hawaii’s state laws on wildlife conservation and protection. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries is one of a few different groups specifically targeting the repopulation of the Hawaiian monk seal.
As required by the ESA, NOAA Fisheries must develop and implement a recovery plan for species that fall onto their list. Not an organization to disobey orders (or ignore the plight of a species regardless), the agency created the Recovery Plan for the Hawaiian Monk Seal in 2007. The work of saving a species is not always easy, and it’s definitely not quick, but the plans are still in motion today, and more nonprofits, companies, and other groups are also working to save the seals.
Hawaiian Hoary Bat
Photo Courtesy Forest and Kim Starr
As alluded to above, the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus), also known as the ōpeʻapeʻa, shares two commonalities with the seal monk. The two make up the entire list of native mammal species in Hawaii surviving today. The other commonality is less fortunate: both are listed on the endangered species list.
The hoary bat does hold the sole label as the only remaining land mammal in the state. However, habitat loss and wind energy development are two of the biggest threats to that title.
To combat these issues, the Hawaiian Hoary Bat Research Cooperative was formed to fund research for and the protection of the bats in 2003. The cooperative includes the Hawai’i Division of Forestry and Wildlife, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Research Corporation University of Hawai’i at Hilo, non-government organizations, and private businesses.
The initiative spent more than $1 million over the next eight years collecting data on the species, installing monitoring systems, and figuring out ways to protect the bats and continue keeping an eye on them in the future. The project’s acoustic monitoring and other major research concluded in 2011, but the group still has a committee that meets yearly to monitor and evaluate progress on the endangered species.
For those who dislike bats for living in caves, just know that Hawaiian hoary bats sleep in trees. This fun fact is just another reason (of many) to care about the survival of the species, which is a crucial part of the state’s ecosystem.
Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle
Photo Courtesy John Burns/NOAA
The Hawaiian green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also known around the islands as honu, is the final species on this list and definitely my personal favorite of the three. It’s never fair to judge someone for not finding something you like to be cool, but it’s also hard to really dislike turtles, at the very least. Well, unless you really like straws or Coke six-packs.
Hawaii’s endangered turtle species have been protected under the ESA since 1978, prohibiting anyone from hunting the species, among other things.
There are countless other federal and state laws and initiatives protecting the turtles, whose population was decimated due to overhunting. Green sea turtles hold an important place in many local beliefs, religions, and folklore, like those who refer to them as ‘aumākua, or spiritual guardians.
The migratory species travel hundreds, even thousands of miles, to nest on Hawaii’s beaches. After leaving their foraging grounds, traveling miles of ocean, and giving birth, the turtles soon head back. Perhaps a lesson to always keep moving forward because you can think about the journey as you walk — or swim.
