Partner Content I Photo: Tyler Schmitt
Kaua‘i may be nicknamed the Garden Island, but lately its distinctive fauna (also some Kauai sealife that’s most endangered) have been giving flora a run for their money, especially at Po‘ipu Beach.
The South Shore attraction long renowned for its twin sandy beaches has now gained fame for two creatures besides humans, who love to bask on it: the threatened Hawaiian green sea turtle and the highly endangered Hawaiian monk seal.
A large number of turtles (honu) — as many as 100 a night, according to SFGate’s recent report — started appearing just before sunset only two years ago. Malama i na honu (“Protect the Turtles”), an O‘ahu-based nonprofit formed to help manage turtle-watching at that island’s Laniakea Beach, now recruits and trains volunteers to oversee the twilight turtle assembly and educate spectators in Po‘ipu.
The most common of the three sea turtle species native to the Hawaiian islands, honu are the only ones that bask on the beach, both to avoid predators and raise their body temperature. Although their numbers have grown in recent decades, they are still considered a threatened species. It’s important, and legally required, to stay at least 10 feet back from the turtles and to refrain from touching, feeding or harassing them.
Some fun facts about the green sea turtles shared by Malama i na honu volunteers:
- They can swim up to 20mph in brief sprints.
- They don’t have external ears but can sense low-frequency vibrations.
- Males can’t be visually distinguished from females until they’re sexually mature, around 25 to 30 years old.
The Hawaiian monk seals (‘ilio holo i ka uaua, or “dog running through rough seas”) that make appearances at Po‘ipu don’t stick anywhere near to a schedule like the turtles, but they do seem equally oblivious to the presence of beachgoers — at least when they remain undisturbed. Only 1,400 of these federally endangered members of Kauai sealife are thought to survive, with some 1,100 of those calling the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands home.
The Kauai Hawaiian Monk Seal Conservation Hui, which monitors sightings on a monthly basis, noted that two to five seals showed up daily at Po‘ipu Beach in December. Around the island, the group logged 251 monk seal sightings last month, including 31 known individuals. If you spot a monk seal either in the water or basking, the group’s handy online guide can help you identify if it’s one of the regulars.
For your own safety as well as the seals’, follow the federal rule of staying back a minimum of 30 feet — more if you see a mother with a pup. March and April are peak seasons for giving birth, with pups typically weaned and on their own after 5 weeks.
Kaua‘i also offers many less bustling beaches where green sea turtles and Hawaiian monk seals may haul out. On the East Side, the Outrigger Kaua‘i Beach Resort & Spa provides the perfect vantage point for a 2-mile stroll along secluded Nukoli‘i Beach, while also within an easy drive of Po‘ipu.
