October 4, 2024
Lida’s Field of Dreams, the tortoise sanctuary that is connected to the Makauwahi Cave Reserve in South Kauai, is closing according to an Instagram post by the Kauai Humane Society. According to the post, the Kauai Humane Society has been asked to help in rehoming the tortoises. The preserve has 13 tortoises who will need to be rehomed. The largest is 300 pounds and the smallest is 50 pounds.
The sanctuary is located across from the Makauwahi Cave Reserve, a collapsed limestone cave that is important for its paleoecological and archaeological records. The cave and surrounding land is owned by the Grove Farm Company, but is managed by the nonprofit Makauwahi Cave Reserve. Lida Pigott Burney and husband Dr. David A. Burney (who operate the non-profit) have spent years studying the cave while also operating several related projects, including Lida’s passion project, the tortoise sanctuary.
The tortoise sanctuary was actually an endeavor to restore the land surrounding the cave to its natural state. Fossils found in the area identified a now-extinct flightless bird that provided an important ecological service to the land. To fill in for the extinct bird, giant tortoises (Giant African spurred tortoises) were chosen to fill this ecological niche. The tortoises helped to control invasive weeds, to spread seeds of native plants and to fertilize the barren soil with their feces.
The cave itself appears to be unaffected by the sanctuary closure, and will remain open to the public as far as we know. Over the years we have enjoyed visiting the tortoise sanctuary along with the cave, as well as area highlights including the Mahaulepu Trail and Gillins Beach. We wish the Burney’s the best as they refocus their efforts, and we will miss these gentle giants.
