"VIDEO OF THE WEEK" - Sunday, April 26, 2026
Ornate Butterflyfish (kīkākapu) are strongly paired and subsist exclusively on live coral and maintain home territories within which they roam freely.
**Video courtesy: Gavin Iwai
#VideooftheWeek #HawaiiSeaGrant #HBEP #HanaumaBayEducationProgram #MLCD #marineconservation #marinelife #butterflyfish #ornatebutterflyfish #kikakapu
CRITTER OF THE WEEK (Saturday, April 25, 2026):
Did you know: Achilles Tang (pākuʻikuʻi) is named for the Greek warrior Achilles, who symbolizes youthful grace, beauty and valor.
#CritteroftheWeek #HawaiiSeaGrant #HBEP #HanaumaBayEducationProgram #MLCD #marinelife #marinelifeconservation #surgeonfish #tangs #achillestang #pākuʻikuʻi
"FLIGHT FRIDAY" (April 24, 2026)
The Hawaiian Petrel is a bird of extremes, an endangered species that nests in burrows high on the slopes of Hawaii's majestic volcanoes and spends the rest of the year ranging across the Pacific Ocean. These large dark-and-white petrels wheel high over ocean waters on long, pointed wings and swoop down to snatch squid and fish from the sea surface.
*PC: /2024/12/in-the-endangered-species-capital-of-the-world-a-win-for-hawaiian-seabirds/
#FlightFridays #HawaiiSeaGrant #SOEST #hbep #HanaumaBayEducationProgram #MLCD #marinelifeconservation #hawaiiaudubonsociety #hawaiianpetrel #uaʻu
"VIDEO OF THE WEEK" - Sunday, April 19, 2026
Gray Chubs (nenue) are found in shallow rocky and coral reefs, frequently in the surf zone. They are social creatures, usually moving in schools.
**Video courtesy: Gavin Iwai
#VideooftheWeek #HawaiiSeaGrant #HBEP #HanaumaBayEducationProgram #MLCD #marineconservation #marinelife #flagtail #hawaiianflagtail #aholehole #chub #graychub #nenue
"FLIGHT FRIDAY" (April 17, 2026)
On Oʻahu, many Black Noddy (noio) feed in Kaneʻohe Bay and in brackish ponds on Marine Corps Base Hawaiʻi.
*PC: @AnnTanimotoJohnson
#FlightFridays #HawaiiSeaGrant #SOEST #hbep #HanaumaBayEducationProgram #MLCD #marinelifeconservation #hawaiiaudubonsociety #noddy #blacknoddy #noio
"INVERT THURSDAYS" - April 16, 2026
The Shortnose Mantis Shrimp is a "smasher" that lives in burrows in rocky habitats from the intertidal zone to depths of 100 ft. Active by day and brightly colored orange and white, it is sometimes seen by divers peering from its burrow or darting back from a foraging trip.
*PC: David Fleetham/Stocktrek Images
#InvertThursdays #HawaiiSeaGrant #SOEST #HBEP #HanaumaBayEducationProgram #MLCD #marinelifeconservation #marinelife #underwaterphotography #marinelifephotography #invertebrate #shortnosemantisshrimp #mantisshrimp #aloalo
"TRIVIA TUESDAYS" (April 14, 2026)
It is estimated that ____ % of life on Earth is aquatic.
a) 75%
b) 85%
c) 94%
d) 56%
#TriviaTuesdays #HawaiiSeaGrant #SOEST #HBEP #HanaumaBayEducationProgram #MLCD #marinelifeconservation
Oceania educators! You are invited to tonight’s Hawai‘i Blue Schools Hui teacher workshop presentation on Kona Lows from SOEST graduate students Carla Baizeau and Wyn Pauly!
Monday, April 18 at 4:30–5:15 pm.
Zoom link: https://coehawaii.zoom.us/j/89289077776
We are opening up this session to teachers beyond those involved in Blue Schools due to the extremely timely topic.
Bring your wonderings, questions, and come prepared to learn more about the oceanographic mechanisms behind this phenomenon!
We will post a link to the recording afterwards.
Mahalo for an amazing hoʻolauleʻa to celebrate Earth Day 2026! So fun to see folks coming out to learn about how They can help improve and keep the ʻāina and wai of Kauaʻi plentiful and beautiful for generations to come!
Lots of info about invasive species like the coconut rhinoceros beatle, native birds, wetland habitat, forest health, bees, coral restoration, aquaculture, and water and electricity conservation. We were excited to share about sand dune studies and restoration protocols using native beach plants, episodes of Voice of the Sea, sand and microplastics activities, and more! Mahalo nui @kuikauai@hoomalukekai@hawaii_sea_grant@oceania_educators@hikanesa@rubes74kauai@boogiefoil
"KILO MONDAYS" - April 13, 2026
It is highly unusual to have back-to-back Kona storms within the same month, and rare to see a third within a few weeks, which has worsened the ongoing crisis.
*PC: /2024/05/16/threats-from-kona-low-shift-west-governor-declares-emergency/
#KiloMondays #HawaiiSeaGrant #SOEST #HBEP #HanaumaBayEducationProgram #MLCD #stormeffects #konalow #konalowstorms2026
"VIDEO OF THE WEEK" - Sunday, April 12, 2026
Did you know:
The Lagoon Triggerfish (humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa) prefers sandier, weedier habitats than the Reef Triggerfish and is far less common. Its sports a blue hat, yellow lips bordered with blue, and a yellow bridle. A black patch on the side is marked with diagonal white bands. A bullseye-like mark is conspicuous on the fishʻs back, when viewed from above. Both sexes maintain territories and each maleʻs territory overlaps 2-3 female territories.
**Video courtesy: Gavin Iwai
#VideooftheWeek #HawaiiSeaGrant #HBEP #HanaumaBayEducationProgram #MLCD #marineconservation #marinelife #triggerfish #lagoontriggerfish #humuhumunukunukuapuaa #Rhinecanthusaculeatus
"INVERT THURSDAYS" - April 9, 2026
Did you know: The Bigfin Reef Squid (mūheʻe) has a life span of 9-10 months and is one of the few squids that have been successfully maintained in captivity.
*PC: Reinhard Dirscherl (/featured/bigfin-reef-squid-sepioteuthis-reinhard-dirscherl.html)
#InvertThursdays #HawaiiSeaGrant #SOEST #HBEP #HanaumaBayEducationProgram #MLCD #marinelifeconservation #marinelife #underwaterphotography #marinelifephotography #invertebrate #squid #bgifinreefsquid #mūheʻe
