Hawai'i Island Hawksbill Sea Turtle Sightings: HIhawksbills.org

Hawai'i Island
Hawksbills

Documented: 92 hawksbills (click through their tabs below to find out more)
#HI-001 Heloise (juvenile): 2003-2005
#HI-002 Scaley (juvenile): 2003, 2011, & 2013-2015
#HI-003 Warped (subadult): 2006 & 2011
#HI-004 Slim (juvenile): 2007
#HI-005 Blue (juvenile): 2009
#HI-006 Betty (subadult): 2009, 2020-2023
#HI-007 Babette (juvenile): 2010
#HI-008 Pelagic (pelagic phase): 2011
#HI-009 'Ilio (subadult): 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, & 2023
#HI-010 Petunio (adult male): 2013
#HI-011 Sinker (juvenile): 2014
#HI-012 Kibler (subadult): 2014
#HI-013 Kissy (subadult?): 2014
#HI-014 Cascadia (pelagic phase): 2015
#HI-015 Free (adult male): 2014, 2015 & 2019-2023
#HI-016 MaleMan (adult male): 2016 & 2020
#HI-017 Mili (subadult): 2016 & 2019
#HI-018 HH (deceased juvenile female): 2016
#HI-019 NT (juvenile): 2016
#HI-020 Wyatt (subadult): 2018
#HI-021 Pat (adult male): 2017 & 2021
#HI-022 DAR-LA (juvenile): 2018
#HI-023 Pueomahina (juvenile): 2018
#HI-024 Big Momma (adult female): 2018 & 2022
#HI-025 Epo (juvenile): 2018
#HI-026 Hook (juvenile): 2018
#HI-027 Rachel (juvenile): 2018
#HI-028 Kaunaloa (deceased juvenile male): 2018
#HI-029 Hien (juvenile): 2019 & 2021
#HI-030 Sarma (adult male): 2017, 2018, 2020-2023
#HI-031 Mr. Boyd (adule male): 2018-2023
#HI-032 Kona (adult female): 2019 & 2021
#HI-033 Kysen (juvenile): 2019
#HI-034 Lu'u (juvenile): 2019 & 2021
#HI-035 Lewis (juvenile): 2019
#HI-036 Mister Rick (juvenile): 2019
#HI-037 Hawkeye (juvenile): 2018-2021
#HI-038 Bob (juvenile): 2019
#HI-039 Don (juvenile): 2019, 2021 & 2022
#HI-040 Madeline (subadult): 2019-2021
#HI-041 Deja (juvenile): 2020
#HI-042 Mac (adult male): 2020-2023
#HI-043 Peggy (juvenile): 2020
#HI-044 Boy (juvenile): 2020, 2021 & 2023
#HI-045 Kiana (juvenile): 2020 & 2021
#HI-046 Yosie (subadult): 2020 & 2021
#HI-047 Freckles (juvenile): 2020-2023
#HI-048 Na'u (deceased juvenile): 2020
#HI-049 Fred (juvenile): 2020-2022
#HI-050 Ulua Ipo (juvenile): 2020
#HI-051 Mele Mahalo (juvenile): 2021 & 2023
#HI-052 Fuzzy (juvenile): 2021
#HI-053 Kaimana (subadult): 2021
#HI-054 Mork (juvenile): 2021
#HI-055 Tim Valley (juvenile): 2021-2023
#HI-056 Leslie (juvenile): 2021
#HI-057 Josephine (juvenile): 2021
#HI-058 Koa Nani (subadult): 2021
#HI-059 Juno (juvenile): 2021 & 2022
#HI-060 Storm (adult male): 2021
#HI-061 Mana'olana (subadult): 2022
#HI-062 Piko (subadult): 2022
#HI-063 Yardly (juvenile): 2022
#HI-064 Benny (juvenile): 2021 & 2023
#HI-065 Igor (juvenile): 2022
#HI-066 Mahukona (juvenile): 2022
#HI-067 Wikiwiki (juvenile): 2022
#HI-068 TBA (juvenile): 2022
#HI-069 Cindi (juvenile): 2022
#HI-070 Kufi (juvenile): 2022
#HI-071 Maite (deceased juvenile): 2022
#HI-072 TBA (subadult): 2022
#HI-073 TBA (juvenile): 2023
#HI-074 Manumanu (juvenile): 2023
#HI-075 Lajeunesse (juvenile): 2023
#HI-076 Omo (juvenile): 2017
#HI-077 Cloud White (juvenile): 2023
#HI-078 Tree Black (juvenile): 2023
#HI-079 Adi (juvenile): 2023
#HI-080 Nanea (juvenile): 2023
#HI-081 Shelley (juvenile): 2023
#HI-082 Anuenue (adult male): 2023
#HI-083 Kamea (adult female): 2023
#HI-084 M (juvenile): 2023
#HI-085 Hemolele (juvenile): 2023
#HI-086 Maka'ala (adult male): 2023
#HI-087 'Io iki (juvenile): 2023
#HI-088 Makoa (juvenile): 2023
#HI-089 Healani (juvenile): 2023
#HI-090 Moana (juvenile): 2023
#HI-091 Ihu Kikiwi (juvenile): 2023
#HI-092 Kū'oko'a Kohala (juvenile): 2023

Send us a sighting!

Offshore sightings (2)

#HI-008 Pelagic
#HI-014 Cascadia

"Pelagic" is a juvenile that was sighted by the Cascadia Research Collective during their offshore marine mammal research transects in 2011.

"Cascadia" is a juvenile that was sighted by the Cascadia Research Collective during their offshore marine mammal research transects in 2015.

Hawai'i Island

#HI-001 Heloise
#HI-002 Scaley
#HI-003 Warped
#HI-004 Slim
#HI-005 Blue

"Heloise" is a juvenile hawksbill that has been photographed by Doug Sells in 2003-2005.

"Scaley" is a juvenile hawksbill that has been photographed in 2003, 2011 & 2013-2015:
2003: Tom Clarke
2011: Sandy Sheets
2013: Shane Anderson & Mark Oronzio
2014: John O'Leary & Shane Andserson
2015: Marc Rice & Shawn Caley

"Warped" appears to be a subadult (the carapace injury is not recent, but makes it difficult to discern size) that has been photographed by Doug Perrine in 2006 and Jeff Milisen in 2011.

"Slim" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Bill Stohler in 2007. Its right front flipper likely self-amputated by getting entangled in some sort of fishing line or net...

"Blue" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by B.Sullivan in 2009.

#HI-006 Betty
#HI-007 Babette
#HI-009 'Ilio
#HI-010 Petunio
#HI-011 Sinker

"Betty" is a subadult hawksbill that has been photographed in 2009 & 2020-2023:
2009: Barry Flackler
2020: Paul Herring & iNaturalist "bananatee"
2021: Sue Little & Paul Herring
2022: Paul Herring & GB Hajim
2023: Paul Herring

"Babette" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Barry Barbett in 2010.

"'Ilio" ("dog" in Hawaiian) is a subadult hawksbill that has been photographed in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, & 2023:
2013: Steve Dunleavy
2015: Jeff Milisen & Nico Testa (@neeks.t)
2017: Frankie Young (@hooba_frank)
2018: Hilary Street Scott (@hrstreet)
2020: Marc Hughes, Brooks Masiba (@evilricemonk), Chris Teague, & Nikki Smith
2022: Sara Knapton
2023: Daniel Windberg (@dwindberg)

"Petunio" is an adult male hawksbill that was photographed by Mark Oronzio in 2013.

"Sinker" is a juvenile hawksbill that was filmed by Jonathan Davis in 2014.

#HI-012 Kibler
#HI-013 Kissy
#HI-015 Free
#HI-016 MaleMan
#HI-017 Mili

"Kibler" is a subadult hawksbill that was photographed by Jennifer Travis in 2014.

"Kissy" is a subadult(?) that was sighted by @kaikea_ainokea in 2014.
{Please note that as much as we love them, we do not condone kissing turtles!}

"Free" is an adult male that has been photographed in 2014, 2015 & 2019-2023:
2014: Steve Dunleavy
2015: Kona Free Divers
2019: Buddy Fritz
2020: Patrick Seligman (@p_seligmon) & Ana Jimenez (@ana.jayy)
2021: Kerry Key & Brooks Masiba (@evilricemonk)
2022: Marc Hughes & Robert Pecoraro
2023: Matthew Johnson (@scuba.matt), Susan Menton & Laura Posson (who filmed him riding atop #HI-082 "Anuenue") & Daniel Windberg

"MaleMan" is an adult male hawksbill that has been photographed in 2016 & 2020:
2016: Will Whelan & Drenched Productions
2020: Deron Verbeck (@deronverbeck) & Patty Peters

"Mili" is a subadult hawksbill that has been photographed in 2016 & 2019:
2016: Jeff Milisen
2019: Deron Verbeck

#HI-018 HH
#HI-019 NT
#HI-020 Wyatt
#HI-021 Pat
#HI-022 DAR-LA

These photos may be difficult to look at... "HH" is a juvenile hawksbill that was dead when DLNR-DAR Kona found it in 2016. NOAA necropsy results confirmed it's a female.

"NT" is a juvenile that was photographed by Nico Testa (@neeks.t) in 2016.

"Wyatt" is a subadult hawksbill that was photographed by @randall.wyatt & posted by Kona Honu Divers in 2018.

"Pat" is an adult male hawksbill that has been photographed in 2017 & 2021:
2017: Deron Verbeck (@deronverbeck) ; 2 males together (the larger one on the left in the bottom photo hasn't been identified)
2021: Dianna Tangen & Paul Herring

"DAR-LA" is a juvenile that was sighted by Megan Lamson & the Hawai'i Department of Land & Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources (DLNR-DAR) in 2018.

#HI-023 Pueomahina
#HI-024 Big Momma
#HI-025 Epo
#HI-026 Hook
#HI-027 Rachel

"Pueomahina" is a juvenile hawksbill that was sighted by Jill Quaintance (@jirtle), Kassandra Kirksey, Steve Turner, & Hilary Street Scott (@hrstreet) in 2018.

"Big Momma" is an adult female hawksbill that was photographed in 2018 & 2022:
2018: Nico Testa
2022: @globecalledhome

"Epo" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Hai On in 2018.

"Hook" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Hai On in 2018, with a small hook in the right side of its face.

"Rachel" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Hai On in 2018 (note the trailing fishing line coming out of its mouth).

#HI-028 Kaunaloa
#HI-029 Hien
#HI-030 Sarma
#HI-031 Mr. Boyd
#HI-032 Kona

"Kaunaloa" is a juvenile hawksbill that was found floating (with labored, wheezy breaths) by DLNR-DAR Kona in 2018. It was taken ashore to be sent to NOAA the next morning for treatment, but it died overnight. NOAA necropsy results determined this was a male turtle, with a blood clot near the trachea.

"Hien" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Hai On in 2019 & 2021.

"Sarma" is now an adult male (notice the tail length increase over the years) hawksbill that has been photographed in 2017, 2018 & 2020-2023:
2017: Marc Hughes
2018: Kyle Nolan & Olivia Lau
2020: Patrick Seligman (@p_seligmon) & Ana Jimenez (@ana.jayy) & Marc Hughes
2021: Marc Hughes, Mike Reckmeyer (@mikereckmeyer), Jaycee Butler, Bob Pecoraro, & Brooks Masiba (@evilricemonk)
2022: Sara Knapton & Robert Pecoraro
2023: GB Hajim (@gbhajim)

"Mr. Boyd" is an adult male hawksbill that has been photographed in 2018-2023:
2018: Patty Peters & Deron Verbeck (@deronverbeck)
2019: Buddy Fritz
2020: Patrick Seligman (@p_seligmon) & Marc Hughes
2021: A special thanks to Marc Hughes, Doug Perrine, Laura Jim, & Marc Rice who de-hooked him; & Jaycee Butler also reported seeing him.
2022: Marc Hughes, Robert Pecoraro & Sara Knapton
2023: Brooks Masiba (@evilricemonk) & Shaylee King

"Kona" is an adult female that has been photographed in 2019 & 2021:
2019: Kona Diving EcoAdventures (Seth Conae) & Brooks Masiba (@evilricemonk)
2021: Kona Diving Company (Kerry Key), Jaycee Butler, Marc Hughes, Jill Quaintance, & iNaturalist "safetystop"

#HI-033 Kysen
#HI-034 Lu'u
#HI-035 Lewis
#HI-036 Mister Rick
#HI-037 Hawkeye

"Kysen" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Karolle Wall & Shawn Caley in 2019.

"Lu'u" ("dive" in Hawaiian) is a juvenile hawksbill that has been photographed in 2019 & 2021:
2019: Cheryl King (@cherylsandyking)
2021: Jill Quaintance (@jirtle)

"Lewis" is a juvenile hawksbill that was filmed by Brooks Masiba (@evilricemonk) in 2019.

"Mister Rick" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Hai Van On in 2019.

"Hawkeye" is a juvenile hawksbill that has been photographed from 2018-2021:
2018: Tom Barnes
2019: John O'Leary & Paul Herring
2020: Lee Nikl, Paul Herring, Kathleen Clark, & Sue Little
2021: Paul Herring

#HI-038 Bob
#HI-039 Don
#HI-040 Madeline
#HI-041 Deja
#HI-042 Mac

"Bob" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Deron Verbeck (@deronverbeck) in 2019.

"Don" is a juvenile hawksbill that has been photographed in 2019, 2021 & 2022:
2019: Deron Verbeck (@deronverbeck)
2021: Jonathon Graas, Molly Rae Walker & the Keahole Ocean Observatory Station:
"This project is a partnership between Aqualink, The MEGA Lab, View Into The Blue, and NELHA. This private public partnership is working to develop innovative and cost effective solutions for monitoring ocean habitats. The NELHA station is equipped with a smart buoy (https://aqualink.org/reefs/1006) and a View Into The Blue streaming camera. Our goal is to improve measurements of ocean temperature coupling with environmental sensing to examine how coral reefs respond to changing climates. The system was installed by The MEGA Lab at UH Hilo. You can learn more about The MEGA Lab here: https://www.themegalab.org/ " - Dr. John Burns
2022: Deron Verbeck (@deronverbeck), Bruce Weyermann, Alan Espiritu, & Cheryl King

"Madeline" is a subadult hawksbill that has been photographed in 2019-2021:
2019: Brooks Masiba (@evilricemonk)
2020: Buddy Fritz, Marc Hughes, Harmony Colella (with Jose Silva, Rachel Schackne, Annika Doerr, Chris Doerr, Dillon Jovee, & Angelica Mercy) & Ana Jimenez
2021: Jill Quaintance (@jirtle)

“Deja” is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Jill Quaintance (@jirtle) with Rachele & Maya Parsons in 2020.

"Mac" is an adult male hawksbill that has been photographed from 2020-2023:
2020: Marc Hughes & Patrick Seligman
2021: Mike Reckmeyer
2022: Rory West
2023: Daniel Windberg

#HI-043 Peggy
#HI-044 Boy
#HI-045 Kiana
#HI-046 Yosie
#HI-047 Freckles

"Peggy" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Hai Van On in 2020.

"Boy" is a juvenile hawksbill that has been photographed in 2020, 2021 & 2023:
2020: Hai Van On
2021: Hai Van On
2023: Hai Van On & Wendy Noritake

"Kiana" is a juvenile hawksbill that has been photographed in 2020-2021:
2020: Dianna Tangen & Lisa Denning
2021: Dianna Tangen

"Yosie" is a subadult (likely a male) hawksbill that has been photographed in 2020 & 2021:
2020: Marc Hughes
2021: George Balazs

"Freckles" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Paul Herring from 2020-2023.

#HI-048 Na'u
#HI-049 Fred
#HI-050 Ulua Ipo
#HI-051 Mele Mahalo
#HI-052 Fuzzy

These photos may be difficult to look at... "Na'u" is a juvenile hawksbill that was found entangled in fishing gear which weighted it down so that it was unable to breathe, and brought to shore by Hoka in 2020. We are awaiting NOAA necropsy results for more information.

"Fred" is a juvenile hawksbill that has been photographed from 2020-2022:
2020: Daniel Borer
2021: Lonnye Bower
2022: Katherine Yelle, Paul Herring & GB Hajim

"Ulua Ipo" (roughly translated as "jackpot") is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Jill Quaintance.

"Mele Mahalo" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed in 2021 & 2023:
2021: Katie Cartee (@ktcartee)
2023: Daniel Windberg

"Fuzzy" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Paul Herring in 2021.

#HI-053 Kaimana
#HI-054 Mork
#HI-055 Tim Valley
#HI-056 Leslie
#HI-057 Josephine

"Kaimana" is a subadult hawksbill that has been documented by the Keahole Ocean Observatory Station in 2021.
"This project is a partnership between Aqualink, The MEGA Lab, View Into The Blue, and NELHA. This private public partnership is working to develop innovative and cost effective solutions for monitoring ocean habitats. The NELHA station is equipped with a smart buoy (https://aqualink.org/reefs/1006) and a View Into The Blue streaming camera. Our goal is to improve measurements of ocean temperature coupling with environmental sensing to examine how coral reefs respond to changing climates. The system was installed by The MEGA Lab at UH Hilo. You can learn more about The MEGA Lab here: https://www.themegalab.org/ " - Dr. John Burns

"Mork" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Mike Reckmeyer (@mikereckmeyer) in 2021.

"Tim Valley" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed in 2021-2023:
2021: Jill Quaintance (@jirtle)
Please see the GoFundMe page to help Tim’s family with their loss:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/donations-to-help-tim-valley-and-his-family?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p_cp%20share-sheet&fbclid=IwAR09Dtj1bWgsiEEWk6PDN0liSVAZ9lWDCNODPA0OvvBrK2vXWB4kE1uqFlE

2022: Marc Hughes (notice the new possible shark bite injury to the left front flipper)
2023: Mikena Shay

"Leslie" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Hai Van On in 2021.

"Leslie" was found with fishing line going down its throat and a small hook in the neck, so it was sent to NOAA for treatment in 2021. More info will be aded later, but it was released successfully. Permitted photos by Marc Rice, Director of the Hawai'i Preparatory Academy Sea Turtle Research Program.

"Josephine" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Nicole Smith in 2021.

#HI-058 Koa Nani
#HI-059 Juno
#HI-060 Storm
#HI-061 Mana'olana
#HI-062 Piko

"Koa Nani" is a subadult hawksbill that was photographed by Briana Smith (@seawithbri) in 2021.

"Juno" is a juvenile hawksbill that has been photographed in 2021 & 2022:
2021: Kaitlyn McQueeney (@sharkdiver_kaitlyn)
2022: Bob Pecoraro

"Storm" is an adult male hawksbill that was photographed by Storm Weiner (@stormweiner on iNaturalist) in 2021.

"Mana'olana" is a subadult hawksbill that was photographed by Dianna Tangen in 2022.

"Piko" (navel, umbilical cord) is a subadult hawksbill that was photographed by Marc Hughes in 2022.

#HI-063 Yardly
#HI-064 Benny
#HI-065 Igor
#HI-066 Mahukona
#HI-067 Wikiwiki

"Yardly" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Paul Herring in 2022. You'll notice its missing left front flipper, which appears to be caused by some sort of self-amputation (blood flow restriction from either a tight net or fishing line entanglement) . Check out the gooseneck barnacle on the trailing edge of the carapace!

"Benny" is a juvenile hawksbill that has been photographed in 2021 & 2023:
2021: Benjamin DiDonna
2023: Chris Teague & Ashley Pugh

"Igor" is a juvenile hawksbill that has been photographed by Peter Krottje & Hai Van On in 2022.

"Mahukona" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Wendy Noritake & Helen White in 2022.

"Wikiwiki" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Paul Herring in 2022.

#HI-068 TBA
#HI-069 Cindi
#HI-070 Kufi
#HI-071 Maite
#HI-072 TBA

"TBA" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Destiny Hoopii in 2022.

"Cindi" (named for Cindi Punihaole) is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Jason Murray in 2022.

"Kufi" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Hai Van On in 2022.

"Maite" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Laura Jim, Ali Wawner & Alden Mazo with Hawaii Preparatory Academy in 2022. Its right front flipper likely self-amputated by getting entangled in some sort of fishing line or net. The turtle is named in memory of Maite Yuleana Rodriquez, an aspiring marine biologist whose life was taken during a horrific school shooting in Uvalde, Texas in May 2022.
Sadly, Maite was found deceased on 6/3/23. We're awaiting necropsy results from NOAA to learn more.

"TBA" is a subadult hawksbill that was photographed by Brooks Masiba (@evilricemonk) in 2022.

#HI-073 TBA
#HI-074 Manumanu
#HI-075 Lajeunesse
#HI-076 Omo
#HI-077 Cloud White

"TBA" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Sandra Hammel in 2023.

"Manumanu" (rough, irregular, nicked in Hawaiian) is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Paul Herring in 2023.

"Lajeunesse" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Marc Hughes in 2023.

"Omo" (remora in Hawaiian) is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Marc Hughes in 2017.

"Cloud White" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Hai Van On & Wendy Noritake in 2023.

#HI-078 Tree Black
#HI-079 Adi
#HI-080 Nanea
#HI-081 Shelley
#HI-082 Anuenue

"Tree Black" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Hai Van On in 2023.

"Adi" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Hai Van On & Wendy Noritake in 2023.

"Nanea" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Paul Herring in 2023.

"Shelley" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Mikena Shay in 2023.

"Anuenue" (rainbow in Hawaiian) is an adult male hawksbill that has been photographed in 2023:
Susan Menton & Laura Posson (Anuenue is the one on the bottom, below #HI-015 "Free", another male hawksbill) & Susan O'Shaughnessy

#HI-083 Kamea
#HI-084 M
#HI-085 Hemolele
#HI-086 Maka'ala
#HI-087 'Io iki

"Kamea" is an adult female hawksbill that has been photographed by Tom Boyd & Marc Hughes in 2023.

"M" is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Patrick Ching in 2023.

"Hemolele" (perfect, faultless, flawless, holy, immaculate, saintly, pure in heart) is a juvenile hawksbill that was photographed by Wendy Noritake in 2023.