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HONOLULU ADVERTISER (Hawaii) 21 July 08 Memorial service held for slaughtered turtle
Malama Na Honu held a memorial service yesterday at the site of the killing of the green sea turtle at Laniakea Beach .
Volunteers of the guardian group that was set up to educate the public and protect the threatened species will place lei at the site where the turtle was partially buried in the sand, said Patrick Doyle, Malama Na Honu project coordinator.
Its belly shell had been cut off, and a flipper was missing. The top part of the shell, which was attached to the head, was found partially submerged in the sand. The head and three remaining limbs were still attached to the carcass, Doyle said yesterday.
The 200-pound female turtle, found on the beach Saturday morning by a beachgoer, was called "Honey Girl" because of her honey-colored shell, Doyle said. Her body has been taken to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration facilities, where scientists will perform a necropsy.
The turtle was one in a group of about 20 that regularly comes to bask in the sun on the beach commonly called "Turtle Beach." The green sea turtle is included on the federal Endangered Species list.
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080721/NEWS25/807210353

KHNL (Honolulu, Hawaii) 21 July 08 Community still upset over Turtle's death (Duane Shimogawa)
Haleiwa: The North Shore community is still shell-shocked after the brutal killing of a harmless turtle.
Authorities still don't know who did it. The Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle, affectionately known as "Honey Girl" was found dead at Laniakea beach on Saturday.
It's the day after, but for many, the pain still lingers.
"I'm heartbroken," Visitor Pat Nehring said. "It brings tears to my eyes to think that someone would be needlessly cruel to an animal that would never, ever hurt them and that we've lost a turtle, our world has lost a turtle is heartbreaking."
Michael Lyons is the North Shore Neighborhood Board president. He said whoever killed the turtle should be prosecuted to the fullest extent.
"Well the act is done," he said. "We cannot change that part, but we hope people become educated. They understand what they're doing is wrong. They know that if they need food, we have food banks, we have opportunities to get free food."
Visitors and locals stopped by this makeshift memorial Sunday to pay tribute to a popular turtle.
"The one thing we've always appreciated coming here is how protective the community is of the turtles and how important they are to their lives and their image and what hawaii is about," Nehring said.
With Sunday's killing, it's giving officials even more incentive to help find a way to protect the threatened species.
"The laws are in place," State Senator Clayton Hee said. "We can look at enhancing penalties beyond the one year, $50,000 fine, but at the end of the day, we still need enforcement.And it's very difficult to have someone everywhere all the time."
Turtle protection volunteers try their best to keep the turtles safe, but there's only so much they can do.
"There's not a lot of things we can do differently," Malama Na Honu volunteer Patrick Doyle said. "Most of our focus in the last 24 hours has really been to support our volunteer group as they're grieving about the loss."
A loss that stings the small North Shore community and its many visitors.
"If anything, it makes me want to come and be more a part of the protection of these wonderful animals," Nehring said.
Killing a green sea turtle is a felony. If caught, a person could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources urges people to call them at 643-DLNR if you have any information about this incident.
http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=8705561

HONOLULU ADVERTISER (Hawaii) 22 July 08 Turtle killed by boat propeller found - Meanwhile, search for person who butchered 'Honey Girl' continues (Eloise Aguiar)
Two more protected green sea turtles on O'ahu's North Shore became objects of investigation as the state continued to search for whoever it was who killed a third turtle, apparently for its meat, at Laniakea Beach.
A large dead turtle that was in an advanced stage of decomposition and a young live turtle suffering from tumors were recovered from North Shore beaches yesterday and Sunday, respectively.
Initial reports suggested that the large turtle was a victim of a shark attack but experts determined that it had been struck by a boat propeller.
"Propellers create very distinctive slashes on the turtle," said George Balazs, head of the Turtle Research Program for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "When it's a propeller injury there's no mistaking it with anything else.
"There's no evidence whatever of a shark attack," Balazs said. "The turtle has been hit by a boat. Of course we never know at this stage of decomposition if the turtle was hit by the boat first and died or if it died from some other unknown cause and then was hit by the boat."
Balazs said there was no evidence of butchering or human tampering on the carcass of the decomposed turtle carcass.
On Saturday, beachgoers discovered the partially buried carcass of "Honey Girl," apparently slaughtered for meat.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is looking for anyone with information about the killing of the 200-pound, 30-year-old turtle, said DLNR spokeswoman Deborah Ward.
Green sea turtles are protected by the federal Endangered Species Act as well as Hawai'i state law. As with monk seals, people must keep their distance from the animals or face charges, Ward said.
It is illegal to kill the animal for any reason, she said. "People are not supposed to be swimming near them and following them, which could be viewed as harassment.
"You can enjoy them but don't be sitting on them or grabbing them while they're swimming," she said.
Honey Girl's belly shell and one flipper had been cut off, according to Patrick Doyle, project coordinator for Malama Na Honu, a volunteer group that provides educational information and protection for the turtles at Laniakea Beach.
Doyle said he found organs in the water and Honey Girl was buried in the sand up to her top shell.
Many people had offered condolences but no one seemed to have any information about her death, he said, adding that people are talking about a permanent memorial at the beach.
A makeshift memorial with her photograph was set up at the beach, Doyle said.
"About an hour ago our largest turtle, Kuhina, hauled up out of the water and climbed right up onto her memorial site in front of her picture and has been resting here for an hour now," he said yesterday afternoon.
Honey Girl's remains were taken to NOAA for a necropsy and results are expected by tomorrow, said Balazs.
A third sea turtle was found Sunday suffering from tumors that had left the young animal weak and emaciated, Balazs said.
The 37-pound turtle is under a veterinarian's care and is suffering from tumors in the throat, he said, adding that a decision about whether to euthanize the animal hasn't been made.
HI Press: Turtle killed by boat propeller found