Forty-five green sea turtles were to be released from a cruise ship into the deep sea off the east side of the Big Island last night in a collaboration between NCL America and NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center.
The 5-month-old turtles, which have been raised at Sea Life Park, are the result of the park’s captive breeding program.
The animals will be released from the NCL ship Pride of Hawai’i under the direction of NOAA biologist George Balazs.
It is the second release of turtles from an NCL America ship. In October, four turtles were released carrying satellite tags.
That project, done in conjunction with Hawai’i Preparatory Academy, NOAA and Sea Life Park, tracked the turtles, and their movements can be viewed on the HPA Web site at www.hpa.edu/turtle.html.
Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua’i Bureau
