The mystical turtle, Kauila, makes her
home in the Ka置 District at Punalu置 Bay. According to
Hawaiian mythology, Kauila, was empowered with the ability to turn
herself from a turtle into human form and would play with the
children along the shoreline and keep watch over them. The people
of Ka置 loved Kauila as the guardian of their children and also
for her spring that gave them pure drinking water.
The presence of Kauila can still be felt
today by the sea turtles that inhabit this special place. The
Hawaiian Honu (Green Sea Turtle) can be regularly seen in the bay
feeding on limu growing in the shallows. In addition the Honu弾a
(Hawksbill Turtle) sometimes enters the bay at night to crawl
ashore and deposit eggs in the black sand. Both species of sea
turtles are fully protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act
and Wildlife laws of the state of Hawaii. Enjoy watching these
marvelous creatures but do not touch or disturb them in any way.
This information was taken from a monument at
Punalu置 Bay. The monument was created in 1995 in honor of the sea
turtles at Punalu置 through the cooperative and the efforts of the
community of Ka置 UH Hilo Marine Option Program, County of Hawaii,
NMFS and the Honu Project. Made possible by the generosity of the
Gummow Family and artist Dale Zarrella.
