Where Sea Turtles Nest Sea turtles nest in a wide, warm belt around the world. They all return to the same beaches where they themselves hatched. Each kind of sea turtle has its own special place. For some, only one particular place will do. The Atlantic ridley nests only on one beach on the northeast coast of Mexico (A). The flatback turtle lays its eggs only on the coast of northern Australia (B). Hawaiian green turtles may be found nesting at French Frigate Shoals in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands up to 800 miles from their feeding areas around the main islands (C). It is a wonder that sea turtles can remember where they were born and that they can navigate to find these places again.

Kahi e Ho'opunana na Honu Kai Ho'opunana na honu kai i kekahi wahi mehana i po'ai i ka honua. Ho'i lakou a pau i ke kahakai a lakou i hanau 'ia ai. Loa'a na wahi kupono i na 'ano honu like 'ole. No kekahi ho'okahi wahi kupono wale no. Ho'opunana ka honu Atlantic ridley ma ho'okahi kahakai wale no ma ke kapakai kihina 'akau o Mekiko. Ho'ohuahua ka honu Kualaha i kona mau hua ma ke kepakai ho'okahi ma ke kapakai o ka 'ao'ao 'akau o 'Aukekulelia. Ho'opunana na honu 'oma'oma'o ma ka French Frigate Shoals o na moku papapa ma Komohana 'akau he 'ewalu hanelimile mai na wahi hanai ma ka pae 'aina nui. He kupaianaha no ko ka honu 'oma'oma'o ho'omana'o 'ana i kona wahi hanau, a ko lakou ho'okele a hiki aku i kela wahi.

The International Year of the Ocean Home Page is a publication of
the NOAA Home Page Design and Construction Company