There is a need for added sea turtle emergency care and rehabilitation capacity in hawaii specificallyon the island of oahu where the vast majority of sea turtle strandings in hawaii occur…

There is a need for added sea turtle emergency care and rehabilitation capacity in hawaii specificallyon the island of oahu where the vast majority of sea turtle strandings in hawaii occur annually.currently the only fulltime sea turtle care and rehabilitation center in hawaii is on the island of mauiwhile the majority of sea turtle strandings occur on oahu. Nearly all sea turtles needing rehabilitationare transported via commercial aircraft to maui which adds delays in treatment and rehabilitation costs.and unfortunately transport via commercial aircraft is not available for the largest adult sea turtlesneeding care due to air cargo restrictions. In a state which is regularly threatened by hurricanes andother natural disasters IT is vital to have a second full time turtle care and rehabilitation center and thegreatest conservation value results from our facility the hmar care center on oahu. The hmar carecenter currently under development will begin supporting sea turtle patients in the summer of 2024.this funding request which primarily supports key personnel associated with the hmar care centerand the needed physical space at the center i.e. modular containerized office space will be critical tothe ongoing operation of the facility. The hmar care center which very effectively uses existinginfrastructure including sea water wells life support systems power and salt water tanks at the hawaiipacific university HPU makapuu campus will give oahu the capacity IT needs to support threatenedgreen and endangered hawksbill sea turtles. Pacific islands coastal program will provide technicalassistance to hmar with outreach and identification of adult and hatchling honu that need emergencycare.