> HWF Volunteer Guide PDF

SEA TURTLE PROJECTS
   > Hawksbill Recovery Project
   > Hawksbill Turtle Watch
   > Hawksbill Turtle Nest Watch
   > Turtle Fence Building

MONK SEAL PROJECTS
   > Maui Monk Seal Watch

MARINE CONSERVATION PROJECTS
   > Makai Watch
   > Marine Debris Cleanups
   > Adopt A Highway on Maui Project

Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Project
Within the Hawaiian Archipelago, endangered hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) predominately nest on Hawai‘i Island. Lower numbers are also known to nest on the islands of Maui, Moloka‘i and O‘ahu, with a statewide estimate thought to be at least 50 reproductive females (but probably fewer than 100) with only ~6-20 of these nesting each year. Hawksbill nesting activities were first documented on Maui in 1991, and an organized community-based effort to systematically monitor these occurrences began in 1996.
  > HAWKSBILL RECOVERY PROJECT

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Hawksbill Turtle Watch
Volunteer with HWF researchers as they monitor Maui beaches for female hawksbill sea turtles returning to their birthplace to nest. We work in the dark, since hawksbill turtles nest at night. We patrol the beach hourly on foot to search for turtle tracks or for mother turtles hauling out onto the beach to nest. When a turtle is spotted, we watch from a distance with a night vision scope to ensure that the animal is not disturbed. We note nest locations so that our team of turtle nest watchers can return to “turtle sit” the nests two months later when the hatchlings are due to emerge. After each turtle successfully nests, HWF staff and volunteers measure her shell and make sure she appears healthy. We note a tagged flipper, if any, which can lead to comparison growth information. If the animal is not tagged, HWF does so for future identification. Sometimes HWF attaches small tracking devices to the turtle’s shell in order to study habitat usages and behavioral patterns.

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Hawksbill Turtle Nest Watch
HWF leads constant vigils of each hawksbill nest right before and during the hatching period. Hatchlings often need a little assistance getting to the ocean as they can get trapped in sandy footprints or debris, become disoriented by coastal lighting or get entangled in vegetation. HWF camps by each turtle nest to wait for the hatchlings to emerge. Our presence keeps cats, dogs, birds, mongooses, and crabs from preying upon these hatchlings. When the tiny turtles crawl up out of the sand, nest watchers clear the way to make sure the hatchlings make it to the ocean safely. Turtle nest watches occur in the summer and fall. Choose either sunset-to-sunrise or daytime shifts. For both our turtle watch and nest watches, volunteers typically bring a beach chair, cell phone, small flashlight (which we will make “turtle friendly”), snacks and water. They wear dark-colored, warm clothes. A positive attitude, patience, good jokes and stories to share are important!

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Turtle Fence Building
Hawaii Wildlife Fund has collaborated with other agencies to help protect Maui's small population of nesting hawksbill sea turtles and their hatchlings from dangers caused by human disturbance, coastal lighting, non-native vegetation, predators and vehicular traffic. Although these intensified efforts have greatly improved the dataset for each nesting and hatching occurrence, the nesting numbers are not increasing. The fence along turtle nesting habitat at Kealia Pond, Maui, needs constant repair, which is costly and time consuming. A state-wide modeling and overall assessment of the hawksbill sea turtle species and its habitats desperately needs to be undertaken to prioritize and implement research and conservation measures.
  > PHOTOS: HAWAII WILDLIFE FUND FENCE REPAIR VOLUNTEERS

Maui Turtle Fence Video HWF volunteers and staff repair a wooden "turtle fence" on Maui to help keep turtles off the road.  > VIDEO: TURTLE FENCE WORK DAY

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Maui Monk Seal Watch
In addition to teaching thousands of visitors each year out in the “living classroom” about Hawai'i's monk seals, Hawai'i Wildlife Fund coordinates the Monk Seal Watch on the island of Maui. When monk seals haul out onto the beach to rest, Monk Seal Watch volunteers place police tape around the area and stand by to educate the public, ensuring the animals are not harassed while they rest. Recent years show an increase in both the numbers of adult seals sighted in the Main Hawaiian Islands and an increase in pups born here. As monk seal numbers increase, incidents of human/seal interactions are increasing. Volunteer support is more critical than ever.
  > MONK SEAL WATCH
  > MONK SEALS

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Makai Watch
The Makai Watch program is a partnership effort among the Department of Land and Natural Resources and several non-governmental organizations including The Community Conservation Network (CCN), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Hawaii Wildlife Fund (HWF) and several community-based organizations. The goal of Makai Watch is to enhance the management of near-shore marine resources by providing community members an opportunity to become directly involved in this management. The public is encouraged to assist by volunteering.
  > MAKAI WATCH PROJECT
  > MAKAI WATCH BROCHURE (pdf)

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Marine Debris Cleanups
In 2006, HWF was in charge of giving Big Island's southern Waiohinu-Ka La'e (South Point) coastline a facelift, with kokua (cooperation) from NOAA and Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale Sanctuary. More than 42 tons of debris were removed from the area with the help of Matson Shipping. For their efforts, HWF nominated Matson to receive the USCG’s William M. Benkert Marine Environmental Protection Award. They did.
HWF also assists in coordinating regular underwater reef cleanups in La Perouse Bay and off MacGregor Point on Maui through the Maui Reef Fund. Contact HWF to participate.
  > HWF MARINE DEBRIS REMOVAL PROJECT
  > MARINE THREATS
  > BEACH CLEANUP FLYER (PDF)

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Adopt A Highway on Maui Project
Help clean the two-mile stretch of highway on Maui that Hawaii Wildlife Fund adopted to protect the beach and rocky shoreline that Hawaiian monk seals and green sea turtles often use as a place to rest and bask in the sun. When either of these protected species hauls out, HWF's team educates the public about the animals' needs and helps ensure the animals are not disturbed by well-intentioned beach goers. Ho'okipa, a famous break for windsurfing and surfing, is located a couple of miles east of Pa'ia town. Contact HWF to participate.
  > ADOPT A HIGHWAY ON MAUI PROJECT

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