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WAIKIKI AQUARIUM TO LAUNCH SEA TURTLE EXHIBIT

HONOLULU, HI – September 23, 2013 – Starting today, the Waikiki Aquarium will host six threatened Hawaiian honu (Green sea turtle) hatchlings as part of a special exhibit and conservation program. The honu, on loan from Sea Life Park where they were born in captivity, will be on display for approximately one year until they are large enough to be released into the ocean.

“Sea turtle hatchlings spend their first years in the open ocean, and they will be able to mimic this behavior in a spacious environment here at the Aquarium while protected from predators and disease,” said Waikiki Aquarium Director Andrew Rossiter. “The exhibit underscores our mission to educate the public on marine conservation, and will raise awareness for this threatened species that is important within Native Hawaiian culture and much loved by people everywhere.”

The 1,000-gallon exhibit will provide Aquarium and University of Hawai‘i marine biologists numerous research opportunities and a rare chance for residents and visitors to view honu at an early stage of their life.

For more information, call (808) 923-9741 or visit www.waikikiaquarium.org.

About the Waikiki Aquarium
Founded in 1904 and administered by the University of Hawaii at Manoa since 1919, the Waikiki Aquarium is located on the shoreline of Waikiki Beach next to a living reef and across from Kapiolani Park. The Aquarium – second oldest in the U.S. – showcases more than 500 marine species, and maintains more than 3,500 marine specimens. Public exhibits, education programs and research focus on the unique aquatic life of Hawaii and the tropical Pacific. The Aquarium welcomes more than 320,000 visitors annually, and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except Honolulu Marathon Sunday and Christmas Day. Admission is $12 for visitors; $8 for local residents and active duty military with ID, $5 for senior citizens and juniors ages four to 12; and free for children three and under and Friends of Waikiki Aquarium (FOWA) members. For more information about the Waikiki Aquarium, including membership, call (808) 923-9741 or visit www.waikikiaquarium.org.

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