06-04-2007, 05:19 AM
Mella, you are correct, ALL sea turtles are on the endangered species list (Hawaii is the only place where the green sea turtles actually have a population that can, a the moment, sustain itself - but even that is under question, esp. with the FP virus causing tumors on the turtles) Beachboys reference was from an event that happened a long time ago (over a decade ago - probably way more than that)
Turtles have been historically hunted by most island and shoreline cultures. Most of the heavy desimation of the poplations happened with whaling boats, as that was a meat that could be stored live in the hold for a fairly long period of time with no care.
Greens (& very few hawksbill) are the two turtles that you usually find in Puna - The main differences are the greens shell scutes have more of a sun burst pattern & are abbutted to each other, rather than overlapped like the hawksbill, and the hawksbill mouth has more of a curve, like a hawks bill
Tears are actually one of the ways turtle can excrete salt, you will notice the tears anytime the turtle is out of the water.
Edited by - carey on 06/04/2007 15:02:13
Turtles have been historically hunted by most island and shoreline cultures. Most of the heavy desimation of the poplations happened with whaling boats, as that was a meat that could be stored live in the hold for a fairly long period of time with no care.
Greens (& very few hawksbill) are the two turtles that you usually find in Puna - The main differences are the greens shell scutes have more of a sun burst pattern & are abbutted to each other, rather than overlapped like the hawksbill, and the hawksbill mouth has more of a curve, like a hawks bill
Tears are actually one of the ways turtle can excrete salt, you will notice the tears anytime the turtle is out of the water.
Edited by - carey on 06/04/2007 15:02:13