K JPEG Site fidelity to a particular stretch of coastal waters is a recognized characteristic of the Hawaiian green turtle, or honu . Through benign observations using photographs and videotape, conducted during July and August each year from 1989 to 1999, we have shown that turtles from all post-pelagic size classes have called Honokowai home for many years. Further, we have discovered that the honu are faithful not just to a general area such as the Honokowai reef system, but also to specific places on the reef. The same animal can occupy its private space for years and will defend it stubbornly from intrusion by other honu. The consequences of such site-specific residency are clearly visible on the reef.
Turtles engage in three types of activities causing three forms of destruction.
Finger corals are broken and trampled, plate and lobe corals are ground smooth, and large coral heads are split asunder. The area we call the Turtle House was a mound of thriving corals in 1989. A decade later, these corals are unrecognizable, having been pummeled into rubble or ground down to their rock base. The effect of 100 kg turtles taking off and landing atop corals leaves little to the imagination, but honu can do damage even when resting. They trample and grind the corals into rubble simply by physical contact.