CRITTER: Hawaiian sunrise shells are common, but hard to find
While scuba diving along Kaua‘i north shore at 80 feet deep a half mile offshore I found an area of the seafloor that was littered with small rocks on the sand.
CRITTER: Humpback whales are worth over $2 million each
Fifty years ago almost 95 percent Of the oceans’ large whale species had been harpooned.
CRITTER: Hawaiian angelfish are different than anywhere in the world
Diving with angelfish in Palau, Caribbean, Indonesia and even the Galapagos Islands is just spectacular because these fish are large, extremely colorful and super tame!
CRITTER: Colorful fins may mean danger on our coral reefs
While out snorkeling I often point out a fish on the reef to a tourist that looks just like a stone.
CRITTER: Spearfishing can protect Kaua‘i coral reefs
For thousands of years butterfly fish have protected our coral reefs by feeding on dead and dying corals, which makes room for new corals to grow. The Hawaiian name for many of the butterfly fish species is kikakapu, which means “forbidden.”
CRITTER: Lunch with an eagle ray in Hanalei Bay
As a marine biologist, I have spent more than 10,000 hours in the sea in the last 30 years and over 300 hours in Hanalei Bay where I call home.
CRITTER: Hawaiian kumu — a master teacher underwater
Kumu is a species of goatfish that grows to be about 15 inches long and is usually a pink or red color.
CRITTER: Living glue that holds Hawaiian reefs together
If you go to the big Island of Hawai‘i you may find a black sandy beach to walk on that was formed from ground up volcanic rock.
CRITTER: Possible cause of tumors killing our honu
Divers and snorkelers come from all around the world to visit our green sea turtles.
CRITTER: Pohaku puna — rare lobe corals in Limahuli lagoon
Limahuli stream in Ha‘ena along the beautiful north shore of Kaua‘i is famous for the botanical gardens it flows through and its cool clean mountain waters.
CRITTER: The giant corals of Wainiha Bay
There is a secret garden of gigantic corals along the North Shore of Kaua‘i that is rarely visited by humans. These corals, which are the size of a school bus, are growing in a very unlikely place that people drive by everyday without even knowing they are there and the corals are over 1,000 years old.
CRITTER: Hawaiian reef fish and giant waves
I was out diving at Sharks Cove in O‘ahu a few days before Thanksgiving and there were clouds of fish in the marine reserve.
CRITTER: Invasive lemonpeel angelfish found in Hawaiian waters
I was out scuba diving in Kaneohe Bay recently shooting a video of the corals, when I noticed a very pretty yellow fish back in a cave. It did not look like a butterfly fish or a yellow tang due to its shape and when I got closer and turned on my bright lights I noticed a bright blue circle around its eyes.
CRITTER: Recent Hanalei shark attack explained
Large sharks have been a part of Hanalei Bay way before humans ever showed up in Hawai‘i, and we are still learning about their behavior everyday.
CRITTER: Pe‘a the purple velvet sea star, a rare find
While scuba diving at Koloa Landing a few days ago with some friends we came across a very unusual sight!
CRITTER: Po‘opa‘a the stocky hawkfish
Po‘opa‘a the foot long stock hawkfish is a master at hunting on the Hawaiian shallow coral reefs.
CRITTER: Omo the underwater hitchhiker
Remoras, also called suckerfish are the hitchhikers of the sea They have a suction cup on top of their head which is a modified dorsal fin used to attach to larger animals. Ridges on the sucking cup are parallel spines which create a vacuum to hold onto larger animals like whales, sharks, rays and sea turtles. These bizarre looking fish can grow to about 24 inches long and they will even attach to the bottom of boats to get a free ride.
CRITTER: A healthy coral reef protects our beaches from erosion
40 foot waves along O‘ahu North Shore this week! Another home falls into the sea. I can just visualize the headlines in all of the newspapers, but this does not need to happen to our coastal homes and roads.
CRITTER: The exploding battle between coral and algae out on our Hawaiian reefs
There is a massive, ongoing battle for space happening right now on our Hawaiian coral reefs and the battlefield is changing quickly.
CRITTER: Thousands of sea turtle nests gone from Hawaii
Most of our green sea turtles (honu) over the last thousand years have laid their eggs way up in the NW Hawaiian Islands.