ABOUT THE HAWAIʻI ISLAND HAWKSBILL PROJECT
The Hawaiʻi Island Hawksbill Project (HIHP) strives to secure the future of hawksbill turtles through research, management, and conservation.
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). 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.
Research
Baseline data is recorded during the field season by project managers and volunteers. Data collected includes the identification and size of nesting females, as well as the location and number of eggs laid in a nest.
Management
Field data that is collected throughout the season is sent to multiple agencies, including the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), where it is used to produce management plans for the species.
Conservation
By promoting public stewardship of rare ecosystems, mainly through education and outreach, we can ensure that future generations are taught their importance.
Meet the Team
Shaya Honarvar
Principal Investigator
Dr. Honarvar earned her Ph.D. from Drexel University, an M.Sc. from the University of Pennsylvania, and a master’s degree in biotechnology and engineering from Hogeschool Utrecht in the Netherlands. Her extensive fieldwork includes over 20 years of experience with marine turtles in remote regions of Central America and Africa.
As the Director of the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, she oversees multidisciplinary research, conservation, and management programs that address a wide range of terrestrial and aquatic organisms and ecosystems throughout Hawai‘i.
Kelleigh Downs
Sea Turtle Recovery Technician
Tara Lanzer
Sea Turtle Recovery Technician