Today the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows was pleased to release six Honu into the freedom of the ocean in front of a crowd of around 1,000 people.
Senator Daniel Kahikina Akaka was one of the turtle releasers along with his family.
Attendees enjoyed Hawaiian entertainment and a July 4 BBQ afterwards.
The sea turtle is the only indigenous reptile of Hawaii , evolving some 180 million years ago, and has become a significant symbol of the Islands . It represents longevity, safety and Mana (spiritual energy) and Native Hawaiians consider it the bearer of good luck and peace.
Since 1989 Mauna Lani Bay has received 3-5 month old juvenile Honu from Oahu’s Sea Life Park and has raised them in the saltwater ponds of the resort. The Honu are raised for 2-3 years and attentively cared for until they grow to a size and weight that is classified as healthy for release into the ocean.
More than 200 Honu have been released into the pristine waters in front of the resort since the program’s inception.
While Turtle Independence Day is fun-filled day for the whole family, it’s also an opportunity to raise awareness of the need to preserve and protect the Honu through education in the spirit of aloha.
Filed under: aloha, Announcements, Big Island, Education, Environment, Hawaii, Hawaiian, Kids, Kohala Tagged: | Daniel Akaka, Green sea turtle, Native Hawaiians, Turtle Independence Day
