CIBED - - Green Turtle - ‘Onu Kai* CK

Chelonia mydas Green Turtle ‘Onu Kai* ^CK

f.CHELONIIDAE Marine Turtles

Chelonia mydas Green Turtle ‘Onu Kai* ^CK

f.CHELONIIDAE Marine Turtles

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesGreen Turtle ^EN

Local Names‘Onu^RR,MK,MT,AK Onu^AT Honu^TNs,TNw Fonu Pokaikai^MH Wonu^PK

Pacific NamesHonu ^HAW

Sci. NamesChelonia mydas (accepted name)

High Tax. Eng.k.Animals, p.Vertebrates, f.Marine Turtles - Turtle

High Tax. Latink.ANIMALIA, p.CHORDATA, sp.GNATHOSTOMATA, spc.TETRAPODA, c.REPTILIA, sc.TESTUDINATA, o.Chelonia, f.CHELONIIDAE

Natl. PresencePresentOceanic^P?

Sth. PresenceRR⁺MG?AT⁺MK^{+ M}MT?AK?PL?MN?TK?

Nth. PresenceTN⁺⁺⁺MH?RK?PK⁺⁺⁺NS?SW?

VouchersMK²⁰⁰¹ PK²⁰⁰⁴

Local OriginNative; Migrant; Breeding locally

Global RangeNo Content

HabitatLand and Aquatic; Lowlands; Marine; Nearshore; Oceanic

ThreatenedGlobally endangered; moderately; REDLIST

InvasivenessNo Content

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusNo Content

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesFlesh food (occasionally)

IdentificationTo 150cm curved CL. HEAD prefrontals 1-pair. CARAPACE olive or brown, arched, 5 midline plates; side or costal plates 4 pairs; marginals 25, not toothed. LIMBS with 1 claw. TAIL xxxxx

Multimedia & Other Resources

Photographs: 5
Video: 1
Audio: 0
Documents: 0
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5BC002_Chel-myda_

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Adult and head closeup

Hatchling - born to be free!

Palmerston to Fiji journey of 52 days

Hawksbill Turtle for comparison

poorly maintained captive turtle

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on Rarotonga (© Karl Traylor)

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Adult and head closeup (jpg)
Hatchling - born to be free! (jpg)
Palmerston to Fiji journey of 52 days (jpg)
Hawksbill Turtle for comparison (jpg)
poorly maintained captive turtle (jpg)
on Rarotonga (© Karl Traylor) (wmv)

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Green Turtle ^EN

Pacific Names

Honu ^HAW

Local Names

‘Onu^RR,MK,MT,AK Onu^AT Honu^TNs,TNw Fonu Pokaikai^MH Wonu^PK

National Name: ‘Onu Kai* ^CK

Island	Status	Main name	Growth stage names
National name	CK	‘Onu Kai*
Rarotonga	+	‘Onu
Mangaia		?P,?N
Ātiu	+	Onu
Ma‘uke	+ M	‘Onu
Miti‘āro		‘Onu
Aitutaki		‘Onu
Palmerston		?P,?N
Tongareva-write	+++	Honu
Tongareva-speak	+++	Honu
Manihiki		Fonu Pokaikai
Rakahanga		?P,?N
Pukapuka	+++	Wonu	Mataweu < Tua Yilivalu
Nassau		?P,?N

National Distribution & Vouchers

National Presence:

Present

Oceanic

Present ?

islands: [ , {label: 'Rarotonga', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 404.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 222, labelTop: 404} , {label: 'Mangaia', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 427.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 274, labelTop: 426} , {label: 'Ātiu', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 372.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 382} , {label: 'Ma‘uke', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 374.5, left: 282.5, labelLeft: 284, labelTop: 385} , {label: 'Miti‘āro', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 358.5, left: 274.5, labelLeft: 283, labelTop: 351} , {label: 'Aitutaki', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 334.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 209, labelTop: 321} , {label: 'Palmerston', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 309.5, left: 112.5, labelLeft: 124, labelTop: 309} , {label: 'Manuae', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 346.5, left: 234.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 338} , {label: 'Takūtea', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 362.5, left: 254.5, labelLeft: 211, labelTop: 363} , {label: 'Tongareva', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 32.5, left: 260.5, labelLeft: 205, labelTop: 31} , {label: 'Manihiki', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 80.5, left: 175.5, labelLeft: 187, labelTop: 80} , {label: 'Rakahanga', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 63.5, left: 173.5, labelLeft: 186, labelTop: 63} , {label: 'Pukapuka', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 88.5, left: 33.5, labelLeft: 45, labelTop: 88} , {label: 'Nassau', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 108.5, left: 46.5, labelLeft: 59, labelTop: 108} , {label: 'Suwarrow', stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 162.5, left: 115.5, labelLeft: 127, labelTop: 162} ] , legend: [{label: 'Not Assessed', top: 235, stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#ffffff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: 'Present', top: 250, stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Present', top: 265, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GWR', tris: '#ACACAC', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Absent', top: 280, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Absent', top: 295, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RWR', tris: '#c0c0c0', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Intercepted', top: 312, stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RDR', tris: '#000000', trif: '#000000'}, {label: 'Extirpated/Extinct', top: 331, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'RGR', tris: '#660000', trif: '#CC0000'} ]

Island	Status
Rarotonga	+
Mangaia
Ātiu	+
Ma‘uke	+ M
Miti‘āro
Aitutaki
Palmerston
Manuae
Takūtea
Tongareva	+++
Manihiki
Rakahanga
Pukapuka	+++	Introduced
Nassau
Suwarrow

Vouchers for:
Chelonia mydas

Cook Islands

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga

Mangaia

Ātiu

Ma‘uke _____ 2001 3fvP fieldvisual+photo photo, ~20cm, College coll., 3/2001, ID G.McCormack.

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston

Manuae

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka _____ 2004 5ir informant report informant reports at NBSAP meeting, 2/2004.

Nassau

Suwarrow

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

no data available

Invasive/Pest Status

no data available

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.03.23 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
Please refer to our use policy.

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Cook Islands Status Summary

Multimedia & Other Resources

Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Pacific Names

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

Accepted Name

Synonyms

National Distribution & Vouchers

Vouchers for:
Chelonia mydas

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

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Cook Islands Status Summary

Multimedia & Other Resources

Vernacular Names

Accepted Name

Synonyms

Vouchers for: Chelonia mydas

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Vouchers for:
Chelonia mydas