Endemic Marine Life

[rgee9]

Hello all,

My wife and I are heading to Kauai in May and we have been trying to figure out what is some interesting endemic marine life. If you could list (possibly pictures) any marine life that we should try and find on our dives I would greatly appreciate it. Also any recommendations on guides on the internet would be great.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[AquamanKauai]

The Hawaiian islands are the most isolated in the world. For that reason in part endemic critters are abundant. On our tours we always do a marinelife brief that is site specific so people know what to look for. I can suggest books - but internet guides I'm not familiar with a real good one. Here's a small list of endemic life to count on seeing....

Bandit and Potter's Angelfish
Bluestripe Butterflyfish
Hawaiian Domino Damselfish
2 species of Hawaiian Lionfish
Freckled Snake eel
Hawaiian Monk Seal
Saddle (saddleback) wrasses
Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse
Titan Scorpionfish
Sputnik urchins

Hope this gives you some ideas and gets you excited to dive here! Let me know if I can provide any other information to you.

Best of Hawaiian wishes

 

[Cacia]

I'm hearing 1200 total on the endemic and endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal....anyone out there have an updated number? We have them by China wall lately.

 

[www.scubamazing.com]

this shows a small portion, but gives you a cool little lecture on endemic sepecies as well:

http://www.mikesevernsdiving.com/marineEndemic.html

 

[rgee9]

Thanks for the feedback. When we dive different locations we are always looking for new critters to find. Also since the monk seal population is so small what are the chances of seeing one a trip to Kauai.

Thanks
Rob Gee

 

[www.scubamazing.com]

I have no clue what to tell you for the Monk Seal, but I can say if you see one under water, you had better have a camera and you had better load them on scubaboard the second your plane lands back in Georgia.