Offshore Islet Project

HOME > O'AHU ISLETS
For more information click on an islet name on the map or select from the list below. Islets that are washed over by waves and lack any flora or fauna are not detailed here.
> Kaohikaipu (Black Rock)	> Kapapa (Mokukapapa)	> Kekepa (Turtle Rock)
> Kihewamoku	> Kuka'imanini	> Kukuiho'olua
> Manana (Rabbit Island)	> Mokauea	> Mokolea
> Mokoli'i (Chinaman's Hat)	> Moku manu	> Moku o Lo'e (Coconut Island)
> Mokualai	> Moku'au'ia (Goat Island)	> Mokulua
> Popo'ia (Flat Island)	> Pulemoku

Kekepa (Turtle Rock)

Approach by boat
Photo: H. Eijzenga

2 acre islet located in Kaneohe Bay just offshore Kaneohe Marine Corp Base.
The islet is part of the State Seabird Sanctuary: access is by permit only to protect the islet's flora and fauna.

Species checklists:

MAMMAL
Family: Muridae
	Mus musculus (House mouse) Fed:none State:none			Adventive
	31-Jan-68	Partial survey	Present	Fitch 1968
	Rattus rattus (Roof rat) Fed:none State:none			Adventive
	1999-2001	Complete survey	18 individuals	Smith 2006
PLANT
Family: Acanthaceae
	Asystasia gangetica (Chinese violet) Fed:none State:none			Adventive
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Occasional	Starr & Starr 2006
Family: Aizoaceae
	Sesuvium portulacastrum Akulikuli Fed:none State:none			Indigenous
	1968	Partial survey	Present	Fitch 1968
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Common	Starr & Starr 2006
Family: Asteraceae
	Bidens alba var. radiata (Spanish needles) Fed:none State:none			Adventive
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Rare	Starr & Starr 2006
	Sonchus oleraceus Pualele (Sow thistle) Fed:none State:none			Adventive
	16-Jun-94 and 27-May-82	Partial survey	Present	Carter 1994
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Rare	Starr & Starr 2006
Family: Boraginaceae
	Heliotropium anomalum var. argenteum Hinahina Fed:none State:none			Endemic
	16-Jun-94 and 27-May-82	Partial survey	Present	Carter 1994
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Common	Starr & Starr 2006
Family: Capparaceae
	Capparis sandwichiana Maiapilo Fed:none State:SOC			Endemic
	1968	Partial survey	Present	Fitch 1968
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Occasional	Starr & Starr 2006
Family: Cyperaceae
	Fimbristylis cymosa (Button sedge) Fed:none State:none			Indigenous
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Present	Starr & Starr 2006
Family: Euphorbiaceae
	Chamaesyce celastroides var. amplectens Akoko Fed:none State:none			Endemic
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Present	Starr & Starr 2006
	Chamaesyce degeneri Akoko Fed:none State:none			Endemic
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Occasional	Starr & Starr 2006
	Chamaesyce sp. (Spurge) Fed:none State:none			Adventive
	1968	Partial survey	Present	Fitch 1968
Family: Goodeniaceae
	Scaevola sericea Naupaka kahakai Fed:none State:none			Indigenous
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Occasional	Starr & Starr 2006
Family: Malvaceae
	Sida fallax Ilima (Fanpetals) Fed:none State:none			Indigenous
	1968	Partial survey	Present	Fitch 1968
	16-Jun-94 and 27-May-82	Partial survey	Present	Carter 1994
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Common	Starr & Starr 2006
Family: Nyctaginaceae
	Boerhavia repens Alena (Boerhavia) Fed:none State:none			Indigenous
	1968	Partial survey	Present	Fitch 1968
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Occasional	Starr & Starr 2006
Family: Poaceae
	Cenchrus echinatus (Sand bur) Fed:none State:none			Adventive
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Rare	Starr & Starr 2006
	Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) Fed:none State:none			Adventive
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Present	Starr & Starr 2006
Family: Portulacaceae
	Portulaca lutea ihi (Purslane) Fed:none State:none			Indigenous
	16-Jun-94 and 27-May-82	Partial survey	Present	Carter 1994
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Common	Starr & Starr 2006
Family: Solanaceae
	Lycium sandwicense Ohelo kai (Hawai'i desert-thorn) Fed:none State:none			Indigenous
	16-Jun-94 and 27-May-82	Partial survey	Present	Carter 1994
	3-Mar-06	Complete survey	Common	Starr & Starr 2006
SEABIRD
Family: Procellaridae
	Bulweria bulweri ou (Bulwer's Petrel) Fed:none State:none			Indigenous
	31-Jan-68	Unknown	feathers of 3 small procellarids, probably BUPE	Fitch 1968
	21-Jun-94	Flyby	Present	Carter 1994
	Puffinus pacificus chlororhynchus uaukane (Wedge-tailed Shearwater) Fed:none State:none			Indigenous
	18-Apr-05	Opportunistic survey	2 nesting pairs	Starr & Starr 2006

Literature Citations:

Altonn, H. 1977. Seabird refuge established. Honolulu Star-Bulletin 1977 (October 22, 1977): A101.

Carter, S. 1994. Report on Kekepa Island. Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Honolulu. 2 p.

Department of Land and Natural Resources, D.o.F.a.W. 1981. Rules regulating wildlife sanctuaries. Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Foresty and Wildlife, Honolulu. 14 p.

Department of Land and Natural Resources, D.o.F.a.W. 1981. Seabird sanctuaries. Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Honolulu. 3 p.

Fitch, J. 1968. Oahu, Kauai, and offshore islands summary. Smithsonian Institution, Honolulu. 98 p.

Hawaii, S.o. 1969. Geographic names approved, second quarter 1969, p. 8. In: Development, D.o.P.E. (ed.), State of Hawaii8.

Inc., M.M. Map of O'ahu Islets. In:

Judd, L.M. 1932. Setting aside land for public purposes, p. 2. In: Branch, S.o.H.E. (ed.), State of Hawaii2.

MacCaughey, V. 1918. The strand flora of the Hawaiian Archipelago-I. geographical relations, origin, and composition. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 45(7): 18.

Morin, M. 1982. State Seabird Sanctuary brief legislative history, p. 6. In: Department of Land and Natural Resources, D.o.F.a.W. (ed.), State of Hawaii6.

Munro, G.C. 1946. The Hawaiian bird study of 1935-37. 'Elepaio 7(1): 2.

Munro, G.C. 1947. Effect of a tidal wave on some sea bird nesting islands. 'Elepaio 7(8): 2.

Munro, G.C. 1947. Notes on the islands in Kaneohe Bay. 'Elepaio 8(4): 3.

Smith, D.G. 2006. Oahu offshore island seabird habitat restoration and monitoring program. Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Honolulu. 17 p.

Starr, F. & Starr, K. 2006. O'ahu offshore islets botanical survey. Department of Land and Natural Resources, Divsion of Forestry and Wildlife, Honolulu. 165 p.

Tabata, R. 1980. The native coastal plants of Oahu, Hawaii. Newsletter of the Hawaiian Botanical Society 19: 41.

Tomich, P.Q. 1986. Mammals in Hawai'i. 2. Bishop Musuem Press, Honolulu, HI. 375 p.

Walker, R. 1978. Named islands, islets, rocks, sandspits in the Hawaiian Archipelago. Department of Land and Natural Resources: Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Honolulu. 16 p.

Walker, R. 1998. Wildlife sanctuaries in Hawaii. Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Honolulu. 3 p.

Additional information