我爱旅游I love travel: Hawaii

HAWAII

Introduction

There are many animals in our world, but most of them are now endangered. One of them is the Hawaiian Monk Seal. This primitive looking seal is native to Hawaii and thanks to humans and natural causes there are roughly only 1,000 still living today (in the wild). You will learn all about the Hawaiian Monk Seal, why it is endangered and what’s being done to save it.

Habitat

As implied by the name Hawaiian Monk Seals live mainly on the Hawaiian Islands. They usually laze around on the beach. They spend most of their time on the beach, they nurse their young there and that is where they sleep too. When they are hungry they dive into the water and hang out in the coral reef. This is where they hunt for food.

Hawaii History

“The Aloha State” became the 50th state in 1959, but the history of Hawaii goes back centuries earlier. Roughly 1,500 years ago, Polynesians from the Marquesas Islands first set foot on Hawaii Island. With only the stars to guide them, they miraculously sailed over 2000 miles in canoes to migrate to the Islands.

In 1778, Captain James Cook, landed on Kauai at Waimea Bay. Naming the archipelago the "Sandwich Islands" in honor of the Earl of Sandwich, Cook opened the doors to the west. Cook was killed only a year later in Kealakekua Bay on Hawaii Island.

In 1791, North Kohala born Kamehameha united the warring factions of Hawaii Island and went on to unify all of the Hawaiian Islands into one royal kingdom in 1810. In 1819, less than a year after King Kamehameha's death, his son, Liholiho, abolished the ancient kapu system.

In 1820, the first Protestant missionaries arrived on Hawaii Island filling the void left after the end of the kapu system. Hawaii became a port for seamen, traders and whalers. The whaling industry boom flourished in Lahaina Harbor in Maui. Throughout these years of growth, western disease took a heavy toll on the Native Hawaiian population.

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on Oahu. Four years later, on September 2, 1945, Japan signed its unconditional surrender on the USS Battleship Missouri, which still rests in Pearl Harbor today. In 1959, Hawaii became the 50th State of the United States. Today, Hawaii is a global gathering place for visitors to share in the spirit of aloha. Beyond the sun and surf of the islands, we urge you to discover the rich cultural history of Hawaii to add even more depth to your visit.