Waikiki Aquarium

The Waikiki Aquarium is located on the shores of Kapiolani Beach Park, near the Honolulu Zoo, and within walking distance of Waikiki Beach. 

There is a lot to see in this area, so plan a day trip or two to visit all of the local sights including Diamond Head Crater. Founded in 1904, the Aquarium is the second oldest in the U.S., and with over 3,500 organisms from 490 species on exhibit, it gives the visitor a unique opportunity to get a close look at some unique and endangered marine life such as living coral, jellyfish, reef sharks, and green sea turtles. The Aquarium originally opened with 35 tanks and 400 marine organisms and was considered state of the art at the time.  In 1919 the University of Hawaii took over the administration of the facility. It was in 1955 that the Aquarium moved to its present location and new buildings were constructed. Since then, many new programs and features have been added, including the living coral propagation program for which the place is now world-renowned. Its 110th anniversary year in 2014 is seeing it undergo further improvements and additions. 

The most significant addition has been the Green Sea Turtle exhibit. Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles are a threatened species. When young turtles hatch in the wild, they make their way to the sea where they drift with the ocean currents for years before returning to the coastlines. At the Waikiki Aquarium, the turtles are fed a high-fat diet so that they grow more quickly and can then be released into the ocean at a larger size, which increases their chances of survival.

The Hawaiian Monk Seal is one of the most critically endangered seal species in the world and is only found in the Hawaiian Islands. Its primary habitat is northwest of Kauai and extends to a chain of uninhabited islands. Only about 1,200 animals remain. The Waikiki Aquarium houses two male monk seals, named Ho’ailona and Maka onaona. They were rescued as pups and would not be able to survive in the wild.