Honu rehabbed and released

By Kimber Collins

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    WAIMANALO, Hawaii (KITV) — A big day for a couple of honu that were being rehabbed at a new facility in Waimanalo.

Hawaii Marine Animal Response staff treated a sub adult green sea turtle, found tangled in fishing wire by NOAA in November.

“We took it in, did the disentanglement, got all of the line out of there, and then just treated the wound, provided a safe space for the turtle to be while it healed,” said Animal Care Manager Taylor Prostor.

Thanks to the newly opened HMAR Care Center on Oahu, the turtle received treatment quicker and staff gave the animal a proper sendoff at Makapu’u Beach Park.

“It’s so rewarding, a lot of work goes into caring for them,” Prostor said. “A lot of people have contributed in a number of ways. Volunteering their time, there’s been a lot of hands involved in getting the center up and running and receiving its first patients.”

The release on Friday serving as an educational treat to beachgoers nearby.

“I didn’t know that turtles get released back into the ocean. I just thought that they naturally go back,” said Colwin Junior, Visiting from Chicago. “And then when they put it in the sand it didn’t want to go anywhere, it was like ‘Hey, I’m at home already,’ until it felt that water and then it was like ‘Ok, I know where I’m going.'”

“We just randomly picked this spot to take some pictures and then we learned about this event. It was amazing, ” said Kamaria Junior, Visiting from Chicago.

Staff released the first Care Center patient back on Nov. 27. That turtle also found at Pearl Harbor wrapped in fishing line.

The Care Center is currently treating one more Honu at the facility brought in from Haleiwa.

“For the community, the more they can keep their eyes out, call if they see any turtle of concern, give us a call and we want to help get them the help that they need and get them back in the water,” Prostor said.

The animal response hotline at 808-256-9840.

Learn more about the Care Center at: h-mar.org

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